Nanocomposites‐based nitrated polyethersulfone and doped ZnYNiO for selective As³⁺ sensor application

Abstract The contamination of arsenic (As 3+ ) cation in drinking water is one of the most well‐known sources for human arsenic poison. Due to its high toxicity to human, there is a need to develop an efficient and low‐cost method to detect it in aquatic environment. A sensor of nitrated polyethersulfone (PES‐NO 2 ) doped with ZnYNiO nanocomposites was successfully fabricated. PES‐NO 2 was synthesized in this study using H 2 SO 4 : HNO 3 while ZnYNiO nanoparticles were fabricated using wet‐chemical technique under low temperature and basic condition. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis did confirm the interactions between the doped nanoparticles and nitro functions grafted on PES backbone. The developed polymeric nanocomposite (PES‐NO 2 ‐ZnYNiO) was then used as a superb coating sensor for As 3+ . The working electrode of desire heavy metal ion sensor was fabricated by glassy carbon electrode (GCE) coated with PES‐NO 2 ‐ZnYNiO nanocomposites as layer of thin film. To estimate the cationic sensor performances, a calibration curve obtained from current versus electrolyte (selective As 3+ ion) concentration relation was plotted. The linearity of calibration curve is found over the linear dynamic range (LDR) of 0.1 nM~0.1 mM. The slope of calibration curve is used to measure the sensitivity and detection limit (DL) of As 3+ cation sensor, and these are 9.8101 μA μM −1 cm −2 and 96.77 ± 4.84 pM, respectively. Therefore, the As 3+ ion sensor is found as selective with good sensitivity, reproducible with high accuracy, validated in real environmental samples, long‐term stability in aqueous medium, and highly active with short response time.