Graphene oxide nanoribbon and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane assembled composite frameworks for pre-concentrating and electrochemical sensing of 1-hydroxypyrene

1-Hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) is a ubiquitous metabolite of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and has been widely used as a biomarker for evaluation of human exposure to PAHs. In this paper, an electrochemical sensor consisted of graphene oxide nanoribbon (GON)/octa(3-aminopropyl)octasilae quioxane octahydrochloride (OA-POSS) framework films (GON/OA-POSS) modified electrode for pre-concentrating and sensing of 1-OHP was described. The GON/OA-POSS composite films were prepared by hierarchically layer-by-layer assembly via electrostatic interactions. GON, which has higher electrical conductivity than that of graphene oxide, offers residual π-conjugated systems for adsorption of 1-OHP via π–π stacking interaction. Meanwhile, OA-POSS nanocages make the GON layers frameworked to enhance contacting between GON and 1-OHP. When 1-OHP was pre-concentrated on GON/OA-POSS frameworks modified electrode, the response signal and adsorption stability was enhanced significantly. Differential pulse voltammetry was used for direct determination of 1-OHP. The electrochemical sensor calibration curve had a range of 0.1–12.55 μM (R = 0.995) with a detection limit of 0.04 μM. The results showed that the GON/OA-POSS framework films modified electrode established a new way for simple and sensitive analysis of 1-OHP.

Graphical abstractNegatively charged graphene oxide nanoribbon (GON) and positively charged POSS octa(3-aminopropyl)octasilsequioxane octahydrochloride (OA-POSS) were employed as building blocks to layer-by-layer assemble composite framework structure (GON/OA-POSS) based on electrostatic interactions. GON allows double sided functionalization, and OA-POSS has an inner cubic rigid inorganic core offering effective interlayer space. The GON/OA-POSS framework offers residual π-conjugated domains and porosity, which makes it suitable for pre-concentrating and in situ electrochemical sensing of 1-OHP.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide