Electrocatalysis and Detection of Nitrite on a Pd/Fe2O3 Nanocomposite Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

An electrochemical palladium/ferric oxide (Pd/Fe2O3) nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was fabricated by hydrothermal method of Fe2O3 and electrochemical deposition of palladium nanoparticles, respectively. As-prepared Pd/Fe2O3 composite modified electrode exhibits enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards the catalytic oxidation of nitrite compared to Fe2O3, PdNPs modified electrodes and bare electrode. The parameters such as the influence of amount of Pd nanoparticles deposition onto the Pd/Fe2O3 modified electrode (ME) and effect of solution pH were investigated and discussed in detail. Under the optimal conditions, the Pd/Fe2O3 modified GCE can be used to detect nitrite concentration in a wide linear range of 10 and 1000 mu M with the detection limit of 0.1 mu M. The presence of Cu2+, Na+, Cl-, PO43- SO42-, Mg2+ K+, NO-3, and NH4+ showed a trivial effect on the response of nitrite determination, revealing that developed modified electrode has an excellent anti-interference ability to common ions. It also shows good stability and reproducibility.