Electrochemical Detection of Para-nitrophenol using Copper Metal Nanoparticles Modified Gold Electrode

para-Nitrophenol (p-NP) is a high priority environmental pollutant. For the sake of safety, sensitive detection of its presence in water resources and food is highly important. The present article describes the use of copper metal nanoparticles for selective and sensitive electrochemical detection of p-NP in pure and real sample. For this the gold electrode was fabricated by polyvenylpyrrolidone stabilized copper metal nanoparticles (ca. 4nm d.) via self-assembled 4,4-bipyridine monolayer and characterized by microscopic and electrochemical techniques. The newly developed sensor permits for sensitive detection of p-NP in a linear concentration range of 1-500M with lowest detection limit of 0.34 nM and high sensitivities 247.1Acm(-2)M(-1). The sensor electrode exhibited high stability, reproducibility, good selectivity in the presence of potential interfering agents and had an excellent capability for the selective determination of p-NP in river water without preliminary treatments.