Determination of copper ions using a phytic acid/polypyrrole nanowires modified glassy carbon electrode

This study reports a sensitive electro-analytical method for the determination of trace amounts of Cu 2   + using a phytate functionalized polypyrrole nanowires (PPy NWs) modified glass carbon electrode. The phytic acid/polypyrrole (PA/PPy) NWs were prepared by an electrostatic adsorption and ultrasonic mixing. The results showed that both PPy NWs and PA/PPy NWs modified glassy carbon electrodes have electrochemical responses toward Cu 2   + . However, owing to the synergistic contribution between the PPy NWs and PA, the PA/PPy NWs modified electrode exhibited higher sensitivity than that of PPy NWs modified electrode. The PA/PPy NWs composites functionalized electrodes showed a good linear relationship with Cu 2   + at concentration ranges of 10–60   μg·L −   1 , and the limit of detection (S/N   =   3) was 3.33   μg·L −   1 . In addition, the electrochemical sensor was applied to assay Cu 2   + in real water samples.