Determination of copper ions using a phytic acid/polypyrrole nanowires modified glassy carbon electrode

- An electrochemical sensor was developed for the detection of copper ions.
- PPy was functionalized with PA by electrostatic attraction.
- The linear range of the copper ions concentration was from 10 to 60 μg·L− 1.

This study reports a sensitive electro-analytical method for the determination of trace amounts of Cu2 + using a phytate functionalized polypyrrole nanowires (PPy NWs) modified glass carbon electrode. The phytic acid/polypyrrole (PA/PPy) NWs were prepared by an electrostatic adsorption and ultrasonic mixing. The results showed that both PPy NWs and PA/PPy NWs modified glassy carbon electrodes have electrochemical responses toward Cu2 +. However, owing to the synergistic contribution between the PPy NWs and PA, the PA/PPy NWs modified electrode exhibited higher sensitivity than that of PPy NWs modified electrode. The PA/PPy NWs composites functionalized electrodes showed a good linear relationship with Cu2 + at concentration ranges of 10-60 μg·L− 1, and the limit of detection (S/N = 3) was 3.33 μg·L− 1. In addition, the electrochemical sensor was applied to assay Cu2 + in real water samples.