Carbon-Rich Monolayers on ITO as Highly Sensitive Platforms for Detecting Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water: The Case of Pyrene.

The determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water at low levels is a current challenge given their great impact on the health and safety of the public. Here, a novel pyrene-based self-assembled monolayer (SAM) platform is exploited as an electrochemical sensing recognition device. Interestingly, the formation of π-π sandwich complexes between PAHs and the recognition element switches the surface electron transfer capability. The unique supramolecular interaction between identical aromatic molecules provides a highly sensitive and selective sensor for pyrene in the order of part per trillion. Accordingly, and using pyrene as a proof-of-concept, this work presents the basis for an "at-point-of-use" impedimetric sensor focused on a highly sensitive carbon-rich SAM for PAHs determination in water at ultra-trace levels.