Sensitive and Selective Electrochemical Sensor for Antimony Using Boron-doped Diamond Nanoparticles

In this study, boron-doped diamond nanoparticles modified on the surface of a screen-printed electrode (SPE) were prepared for the sensitive and selective determination of Sb³⁺ using square wave voltammetry. The effect of electrochemical parameters such as the type of supporting electrolyte, pH, signal per background, and scan rate on the sensitivity of the sensor for the detection of Sb³⁺ was investigated. Under optimized conditions with an amplitude of 0.05 V, a frequency of 50 Hz, and an E-step of 0.05 V, the square wave voltammogram between −1.0 and 1.0 V gave a limit of detection of 2.41 × 10⁻⁸ M for an Sb³⁺ concentration range from 0.19 to 0.59 μM. The method was used to determine Sb³⁺ ions in river water with satisfactory results. The modified electrode displayed benefits such as high sensitivity and selectivity, long-term stability, easy preparation, and wide linear range.