Inkjet Printed Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Sensor for the Detection of Lead in Drinking Water

International audienceThe detection of Pb 2+ was performed using a completely inkjet printed multi-walled carbon nanotube (IJP-MWNT) sensor employing anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) using Osteryoung square wave stripping voltammetry (OSWV) as the detection step. The MWNT ink was prepared in water using bile salts (BS) as a surfactant, which was further washed out with DI water and then remaining MWNT was used as an electrode surface. The IJP-MWNT electrode was used as the working electrode with a platinum wire and glass capillary Ag/AgCl as auxiliary and reference electrode, respectively. The electrode was optimized in 0.1 M acetate buffer (pH = 4.3) and had a linear range of 5-50 ppb (R 2 = 0.98235) a sensitivity of 20.15 nA/ppb and a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.632 ppb for Pb 2+. The analytical applicability of electrode was tested in a real drinking water sample (i.e.) Cincinnati tap water with a linear range of 15-70 ppb (R 2 = 0.98752) a sensitivity of 2.654 nA/ppb and a LOD of 1.269 ppb for Pb 2+