Paper-polished carbon screen-printed electrodes increase reusability and enhance performance in phosphomolybdate electrochemical detection

Carbon screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) are recognized as disposable, single-use, and inexpensive sensors to measure various analytes, including phosphates. SPEs have multiple applications using cyclic voltammetry (CV), which is a powerful electrochemical technique used to investigate the redox reactions of specific analytes. However, high demand for SPEs in laboratories creates questions about their economical feasibility and disposal after a single-use, while it has been found that polishing the surfaces of SPEs shows potential for reuse. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of polishing SPEs using office paper on their reproducibility, repeatability, and amperometric response for phosphate electrochemical sensing. The effect was determined by measuring the peak currents of the CV scans of phosphate analytes before and after SPE polishing. The sensitivity, limit of detection, and reproducibility of the electrochemical phosphate test were significantly improved by polishing the SPEs with office paper. For example, the paper polished SPEs increased the phosphate sensitivity response by 63.6% and showed reuse efficacy up to successive 20 CV cycles. Compared to carbon pretreatment methods that use chemicals in SPE mechanical polishing, the proposed paper polishing method is eco-friendly, cost-effective, and shows great promise towards more sustainable phosphate tests.