Modification of a QCN sensor by SiO2 nanoparticles and MIP for telone determination: Improving its selectivity and sensitivity

A quartz crystal nanobalance (QCN) sensor was developed for the selective determination of telone in aqueous solutions. Telone imprinted nanocomposite was synthesized using SiO2 nanopowders and acrylic acid. FTIR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were employed to characterize the morphology and microstructure of the SiO2-MIP nanocomposite. The prepared SiO2-MIP nanocomposite particles were coated on quartz crystal electrode to form complementary structures for the template recognition of telone. The SiO2-MIP coated electrode was used to determine telone levels in solution. The developed sensor demonstrated a high selectivity and sensitivity (4.96 Hz per mg L−1) for telone. It can also be used for telone determination in the concentration range between 1 to 40 mg L−1. Furthermore, a good reproducibility, R.S.D. = 1.66% (n = 5) was observed. During its photocatalytic degradation by UV/ZnO, telone residue process was measured by the developed sensor and GC to validate the accuracy of the developed sensor in real world situation. According to the results of the t-test, QCN sensor and GC spectroscopy measurement results enjoy good agreement. Therefore, a fabricated sensing system has the potential for real sample application.