Electrochemical analysis of acetaminophen in commercial tablets using bimetallic FeP/NiP nanosheets

The development of a simple, rapid, and accurate method for acetaminophen detection is of significant benefit for monitoring both drug abuse and acetaminophen contamination in water environments. Based on the bimetallic synergy, this study successfully developed an electrochemical sensor for acetaminophen using bimetallic transition metal phosphide FeP/NiP nanosheets. The structural and compositional information of FeP/NiP was analyzed using XRD, SEM, TEM, and XPS. The frontier molecular orbitals and electrostatic potential of acetaminophen were analyzed using Materials Studio software to predict the reaction mechanism. The performance parameters of the sensor were investigated employing electrochemical techniques including cyclic voltammetry, square-wave voltammetry and amperometric i–t curve. With a linear range of 0.25–1150 μM, a detection limit of 34 nM, a sensitivity of 618.97 μA·mM-1·cm-2 (S/N=3), and a 4 s response time, the developed sensor proved applicable for the quantification of acetaminophen in commercial tablets. This work offered a new paradigm for nanomaterial selection in the construction of acetaminophen electrochemical sensor, proposing bimetallic TMPs as a superior alternative.