Exploitation of a photoelectrochemical sensing platform for bisphenol A quantitative determination using Cu/graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites

A simple and effective photoelectrochemical sensor was fabricated by Cu/graphitic carbon nitride (Cu/gCN) composites for detecting bisphenol A. The Cu/g-CN composites were obtained via a solvothermal process in the presence of the copper-based ionic liquid. In view of localized surface plasmon resonance of Cu nanoparticles, Cu nanoparticles can promote light absorbance and rapid electron transport of g-CN. As a result, the Cu/g-CN composites obtained greatly enhancement of photocurrent, when compared to the pure g-CN. In addition, the introduction of bisphenol A can hinder electron-hole recombination, resulting in sensitive photoelectrochemical monitoring of bisphenol A. The detection limit of the bisphenol A photoelectrochemical sensor was below 0.012 mu mol/L. The bisphenol A photoelectrochemical sensor exhibited an excellent stability and acceptable anti-interference. The photoelectrochemical sensor provided the promising platform to monitor bisphenol A at low concentration in water environment. (C) 2018 Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.