Electrochemical Detection of Hydroquinone (HQ) and Catechol (CC) in Environmental Samples Using a Pretreated Glassy Carbon Electrode (p-GCE) Modified with a Vertically-Ordered Mesoporous Silica Film (VMSF)

Convenient and sensitive detection of hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CC) in environmental samples holds great importance for monitoring. Herein, a vertically-ordered mesoporous silica film (VMSF) supported on the electrochemically pretreated glassy carbon electrode (p-GCE) is prepared by a simple and environmentally friendly electrochemical method and employed to construct a sensitive and anti-fouling sensing interface for quantitative detection of HQ and CC. In virtue of a simple electrochemical polarization, the p-GCE shows enhanced electroactive area and promoted electrochemical activity, as well as oxygen-containing groups, rendering a sensitive electrode substrate with improved analytical performance and the functional interface for stable growth of VMSF. The obtained VMSF/p-GCE has superior electroanalytical capacity toward HQ and CC due to the synergistic effect of hydrogen bonding of VMSF and the sensitive p-GCE electrode substrate. The developed VMSF/p-GCE sensor enables the determination of HQ and CC with a wide linear range (1 ∼ 120 μM), high sensitivity (0.368 μA/μM for HQ and 0.404 μA/μM) and low limit of detection (268 nM for HQ and 80 nM for CC). Furthermore, the capacity of the prepared VMSF/p-GCE in the analysis of HQ and CC in environmental water samples and soil leaching solutions has been studied, showing acceptable results and therefore offering a simple and low-cost way for environmental analysis.