Controllable construction of γ-FeO nanocubes anchored on carbon nanotube nanoribbons; boosting electrocatalytic activity for organic pollutant detection in vegetables.

Developing a highly efficient electrocatalyst for detecting hazardous bisphenol S (BPS) is essential to minimize health risks. Herein, we fabricate γ-FeO nanocubes (IONCs) anchored on carbon nanotube nanoribbons (CNRs) (denoted as IONCs-CNRs) for the electrochemical detection of BPS in vegetables. Importantly, the IONCs can be selectively formed only on CNRs via amperometric deposition, while γ-FeO cubic clusters (IOCCs) form in the absence of CNRs. This results in a remarkable 300 % increase in electrocatalytic activity compared to that exhibited by IOCCs. As a result, the IONCs-CNRs sensor exhibits high sensitivity (S = 14.7548 μAμM cm), a low detection limit of 1.9 nM, and good selectivity for BPS detection. Moreover, the sensor shows a good recovery rate of 96.23 to 99.95 % in detecting BPS in vegetable samples. The controlled IONCs-CNRs, with enhanced catalytic activity, represent a promising electrocatalyst for the on-site detection of trace amounts of BPS in food safety applications.