Electrochemical detection of phenolic estrogenic compounds at carbon nanotube-modified electrodes

The use of a carbon nanotube-modified glassy carbon electrode (CNT-GCE) for the LC–EC detection of phenolic compounds with estrogenic activity is reported. Cyclic voltammograms for phenolic endocrine disruptors and estrogenic hormones showed, in general, an enhancement of their electrochemical oxidation responses at CNT-GCE attributable to the electrocatalytic effect caused by CNTs. Hydrodynamic voltammograms obtained under flow injection conditions lead to the selection of +700 mV as the potential value to be applied for the amperometric detection of the phenolic estrogenic compounds, this value being remarkably less positive than those reported in the literature using other electrode materials. Successive injections of these compounds demonstrated that no electrode surface fouling occurred. A mobile phase consisting of a 50:50 (v/v) acetonitrile:0.05 mol l−1 phosphate buffer of pH 7.0 was selected for the chromatographic separation of mixtures of these compounds, with detection limits ranging between 98 and 340 nmol l−1. Good recoveries were obtained in the analysis of underground well water and tap water samples spiked with some phenolic estrogenic compounds at a 14 nmol l−1 concentration level.