Interesting interference evidences of electrochemical detection of Zn(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) on three different morphologies of MnO2 nanocrystals

• Three different morphologies of MnO2 were used for the interference of toxic metal ions.
• The interference change trends of toxic metal ions could be visually observed.
• Some obvious regularities for the mutual interference of Cd(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) are obtained.
• The interference evidences are revealed.

Three different morphologies of MnO2 nanocrystals (i.e., nanoparticles, nanobowls and nanotubes) were successfully synthesized. This work focused on the interference in electroanalysis of heavy metal ions on the three different MnO2 nanocrystals modified electrodes. Some interesting phenomena on the mutual interferences were observed. That is, on MnO2 nanoparticles, the mutual interference was different from that on MnO2 nanobowls (and nanotubes) when it was measured between Cd(II) and Zn(II). For studying the mutual interference between Pb(II) and Cd(II), the interference on MnO2 nanotubes was different from that on MnO2 nanoparticles (and nanobowls). This study further indicated the interference evidences from electrochemical detection of Zn(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) on three different morphologies of MnO2 nanocrystals.