Bismuth Nanoparticles Modified Indium Tin Oxide-Coated with Polyethene Terephthalate Electrode Using Hydrothermal Method for Pb Detection

Heavy metal elements are elements with comparatively high density and are dangerous even in a minimal quantity as they can persist in the environment. The electrochemical sensor can play an essential role in detecting heavy metals. However, the electrochemical sensor has drawbacks, such as low sensitivity and a high detection limit. Bismuth nanoparticles (BiNPs) can improve the sensitivity and lower the detection limit of an electrochemical sensor by modifying the working electrode. In this study, BiNPs produced by the hydrothermal method were drop-casted on the indium-tin-oxide (ITO) coated with polyethene terephthalate (PET) film (BiNPs/ITO-PET). The effect of the hydrothermal reaction was studied by varying the hydrothermal reaction period (5, 6, 7, and 8 h). X-ray Diffraction (XRD) was used to characterize the phase presence, and the morphology of BiNPs was characterized using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The BiNPs/ITO-PET electrode was subjected to electrochemical characterization using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and the detection of Pb(II) using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV). The BiNPs/ITO-PET electrode showed good electrochemical performance in detecting Pb(II).