Disposable paper-based electrochemical sensor for hydroquinone detection in environmental samples using a MXene-CNT hybrid composite.

This study investigates the electrochemical performance of MXene/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) composite-based sensor and its comparison with MWCNT for the sensitive detection of hydroquinone (HQ) in undiluted water samples. The sensor employs custom-made screen-printed carbon electrodes modified with TiCT/MWCNT, allowing for rapid fabrication and integration of the working, reference, and counter electrodes into a compact, portable device. The multilayer MXene provides a large specific surface area, while MWCNT enhances electrical conductivity, enabling clear electrochemical signals even in complex sample matrices. The MWCNT/SPCE and TiCT/MWCNT/SPCE sensors demonstrated excellent sensitivity, achieving low detection limits of 0.055 µM and 0.261 µM, with wide Linear ranges of 3-600 µM and 6-900 µM, respectively. The sensor demonstrates strong selectivity for HQ with minimal interference from coexisting species and requires little to no sample preparation, offering a feasible approach for real-time environmental monitoring.