Detection of Trace Zinc by an Electrochemical Microsensor based on Carbon Nanotube Threads

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted intense interest due to their excellent properties, such as increased electrode surface area, fast electron transfer rate, significant mechanical strength and good chemical stability. CNT threads, spun from shorter CNTs, inherit the advantages of CNTs, while avoiding the potential toxicity caused by individual CNTs. In this work, microelectrodes based on CNT threads were used to detect trace zinc by anodic stripping voltammetry with an estimated detection limit of 1.4nM without mercury or bismuth films. CNT threads showed promise for measuring trace metals in small sample volumes without stirring such as encountered in some in vivo and in vitro applications. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.