Non-enzymatic electrochemical platform for parathion pesticide sensing based on nanometer-sized nickel oxide modified screen-printed electrodes.

Nanozyme-based electrochemical sensors have attracted much attention because of their low cost, sensitivity and remarkable stability under extensive environmental and industrial conditions. Interestingly, the physical characteristics of the nanomaterials in terms of size, shape, composition, surface area and porosity dominate the electrochemical processes at electrode surfaces. Herein, we explore nickel oxide nanoplatelets (NPs) modified screen-printed electrode-based nanozyme sensors that displays high electrochemical activity including stability, sensitivity, selectivity and applicability for organophosphate pesticide (Parathion) determination. Differential pulse voltammogram of NiO-SPE in presence of parathion showed a characteristic peak current at -1.0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The NiO-SPE platform allows determination of parathion over the concentration range of 0.1-30 µM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.024 µM. The sensing platform is found to detect parathion of interferences without compromising the sensitivity of the sensor. Such interesting features offer a sensitive determination of parathion in water, urine and vegetable samples.