Acid-etched Fe/FeO nanoparticles encapsulated into carbon cloth as a novel voltammetric sensor for the simultaneous detection of Cd and Pb.

A portable electrode with usability, availability, and high-sensitivity is of great significance for effective on-site detection in practical situations. In this paper, a novel flexible, disposable sensor for Cd and Pb with ultrahigh sensitivity and a fast response, based on acid-etched Fe/FeO encapsulated into a disposable carbon cloth electrode, has been successfully fabricated. Differential pulse anode stripping voltammetry (DPASV) was used to investigate the stripping behavior of Cd and Pb, achieving high sensitivity for Cd and Pb (338.7 and 408.0 μA mM cm) with limits of detection (LODs) of 0.42 ppb and 0.50 ppb, respectively. Meanwhile, remarkable stability and reproducibility were obtained. Such an electrode can detect Cd and Pb in actual water samples so this is a good candidate to act as a simple and convenient sensor for general applications. More importantly, the novel disposable electrode exhibited the unique advantages of convenience, portability, and reliability compared to a conventional electrode, which may make it an alternative advantageous choice for practical on-site detection.