Enhanced electrochemiluminescence of CdTe quantum dots with carbon nanotube film and its sensing of methimazole

A novel analytical method was reported based on electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of CdTe quantum dots (QDs) using carbon nanotube (CNT) modified glass carbon (GC) electrode. It was found that the CNT film on the GC electrode could greatly enhance the ECL intensity of CdTe QDs dispersed in aqueous solution, and the ECL peak potential and ECL onset potential both shifted positively. Influences of some factors on the ECL intensity were investigated using CNT modified GC electrode, and a high sensitive method for the determination of methimazole was developed under the optimal conditions. The ECL intensity decreased linearly in the concentration range of 1.0 × 10−9 to 4.0 × 10−7 M for methimazole with the relative coefficient of 0.995, which showed finer sensitivity than that at bare electrode. Thus, CNT modified electrode would have a great merit to expand the application of QD ECL.