Bimetallic NiCoP nanoflowers as an efficient electrochemical platform for simultaneous detection of hydroquinone, catechol, and acetaminophen

The development of high-performance sensing materials for the simultaneous detection of multiple environmental pollutants remains a critical challenge in analytical chemistry. Herein, we report the synthesis of bimetallic phosphide (NiCoP) nanoflowers via a facile two-step hydrothermal and phosphorization strategy, and their application as an efficient electrochemical sensor for the simultaneous determination of hydroquinone (HQ), catechol (CC), and acetaminophen (AP). The hierarchical three-dimensional nanoflower architecture, constructed from interconnected nanosheets, endows the material with a large specific surface area and abundant accessible active sites. The NiCoP-modified glassy carbon electrode (NiCoP/GCE) exhibits good electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of HQ, CC, and AP. Under optimized conditions, the sensor displays wide linear dynamic ranges (10–100000 μM for HQ, 25–19000 μM for CC, and 25–15000 μM for AP) and low detection limits (5.23 μM, 10.24 μM, and 9.53 μM for HQ, CC, and AP, respectively). Furthermore, the sensor demonstrates good selectivity and stability. The practical applicability of the sensor was successfully validated by quantifying the three analytes in real water samples with satisfactory recoveries. This work highlights the potential of bimetallic phosphides as robust sensing materials for environmental monitoring