Nafion/lead nitroprusside nanoparticles modified carbon ceramic electrode as a novel amperometric sensor for l-cysteine

This work describes the electrochemical and electrocatalytic properties of carbon ceramic electrode (CCE) modified with lead nitroprusside (PbNP) nanoparticles as a new electrocatalyst material. The structure of deposited film on the CCE was characterized by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cyclic voltammogram (CV) of the PbNP modified CCE showed two well-defined redox couples due to [Fe(CN)₅NO]³⁻/[Fe(CN)₅NO]²⁻ and Pb^IV/Pb^II redox reactions. The modified electrode showed electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of l-cysteine and was used as an amperometric sensor. Also, to reduce the fouling effect of l-cysteine and its oxidation products on the modified electrode, a thin film of Nafion was coated on the electrode surface. The sensor response was linearly changed with l-cysteine concentration in the range of 1 × 10⁻⁶ to 6.72 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹ with a detection limit (signal/noise ratio [S/N] = 3) of 0.46 μM. The sensor sensitivity was 0.17 μA (μM)⁻¹, and some important advantages such as simple preparation, fast response, good stability, interference-free signals, antifouling properties, and reproducibility of the sensor for amperometric determination of l-cysteine were achieved.