Simultaneous Detection of Hydroquinone, Catechol and Resorcinol by an Electrochemical Sensor Based on Ammoniated-Phosphate Buffer Solution Activated Glassy Carbon Electrode

An electrochemical sensor was successfully fabricated by coupled ammoniated modification with PBS activation on glassy carbon electrodes (CA-GCE) and characterized by electrochemical impedance spectra. The CA-GCE showed outstanding electrochemical performance, and was applied to simultaneous detection of resorcinol (RC), catechol (CC) and hydroquinone (HQ), which could be ascribed to new active sites by the introduction of amino and oxygen-containing groups and H-bonds formed between hydroxyl groups of RC, CC, and HQ with amine, hydroxyl and carboxyl groups of CA-GCE. The reaction kinetics of RC, CC, and HQ and their reaction on CA-GCE were studied. Experimental results showed that the electrochemical reaction was adsorption controlled. Under the optimal conditions, the linear detection ranges for RC, CC, and HQ were 5–200 μM, 10–300 μM, and 1–300 μM, respectively, with their detection limits of 0.47, 0.23 and 0.46 μM, respectively. Interference and repeatability was further investigated. This strategy opened a new horizon for qualitative and quantitative detection of dihydroxy benzene.