Employing mesoporous nitrogen containing carbon for simultaneous electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions

Heavy metal ions are major contributors to water pollution, posing significant threats to both ecological balance and human health due to their carcinogenic properties. The increasing need for heavy metal detection highlights the advantages of electrochemical methods, which offer high sensitivity and efficiency. Herein mesoporous nitrogen containing carbon (MNC) was utilized for the simultaneous determination of heavy metals using square wave voltammetry technique in the established conditions of a buffer pH of 5.0. MNC demonstrated low detection limits (1, 10 and 50 μM), wide linear ranges (1 μM – 6 mM, 10 μM – 7 mM and 50 μM – 17 mM), and high sensitivities (2.5 μA μM‐1 cm‐2, 1.03 μA μM‐1 cm‐2 and 5.14 mA mM‐1 cm‐2) for, Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Cu²⁺, respectively. Moreover, the reproducibility, and selectivity of the sensor was investigated in the presence of K+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, and Fe3+ which are the possible interferents present in water