Synthesis of Functionalized Boron Nitride Decorated on Erbium Vanadate (ErVO4) Composite for Electrochemical Detection of Nitrofurazone in Environmental Samples

The present strategy introduces a novel hydrothermal method to develop a rod-like highly crystalline zircon-type erbium vanadate (ErVO4) structure combined with spherical shaped functionalized boron nitride (F-BN), forming a ErVO4/F-BN heterostructure, through the sonochemical method. The resultant heterostructure composite was characterized using different spectroscopic techniques, and the composite was fabricated on a screen-printed carbon paste electrode (SPCE) for the electrochemical sensing of nitrofurazone. Further electrochemical characteristic analyses including cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and differential pulse voltammetry were performed to analyze the electrocatalytic reduction mechanism of NFN. Fascinatingly, the modified SPCE with the ErVO4/F-BN heterostructure displayed a broad and dynamic linear range of 0.001 to 306 μM with a limit of detection of 0.49 nM and sensitivity of 21.178 μA·μM–1·cm–2 for electrochemical reduction sensing of nitrofurazone. The ErVO4/F-BN electrode also displayed superior selectivity with a 5-fold variation toward different interfering compounds and delivered excellent stability, reproducibility, and practical analysis in real water samples, suggesting the feasibility of practical application as an electrochemical sensor for antibiotics.