High sensitivity voltammetric sensor of 4-nitrotoluene based on nanoflake-rich boron-doped carbon nanowall electrode for water safety.

This study demonstrates a highly efficient electrochemical sensing platform for 4-nitrotoluene (4-NT) detection based on nanoflake-rich boron-doped carbon nanowall (NF-BCNW) electrodes. The electrodes, fabricated using a one-step deposition process, exhibit remarkable properties, including fast charge transfer and a developed surface area. The research shows the high efficiency of 4-NT detection in laboratory-grade aqueous samples, with a low detection limit (LOD) of 10.2 nM and a high sensitivity of 10.42 ± 0.31 μA µM cm. The practical applicability of the 4-NT sensor was also tested in an environmental sample, tap water, resulting in an LOD of 20.5 nM. The proposed electrode demonstrated considerable sensitivity for the sensing of 4-NT in the presence of various interfering ions and exhibited high stability over 380 days. These findings position the NF-BCNW electrochemical sensor as an effective tool for water safety and environmental monitoring applications.