3D Bismuth Ferrite Microflowers Electrochemical Sensor for the Multiple Detection of Pesticides

A plethora of scientific researches has constantly studied the electrochemical detection of different pesticides due to their serious effects on humans. Imidacloprid (IMD) is a pesticide that belongs to the neonicotinoids group. In the current work, a carbon paste electrode (CPE) modified with bismuth ferrite microflowers (BiFeO ₃ /CPE) was used for sensing of IMD in water samples in the presence of fipronil (FIP). The modifier (BiFeO ₃ ) was characterized by different techniques. To evaluate the efficiency of the developed electrode towards the detection of both IMD and FIP in water samples, the square wave voltammetry (SWV) technique was employed and spiked water samples were used. The calibration curves were within the range of 1.0–100.0 μ M for both analytes. The detection limits (LODs) for IMD and FIP were determined as 0.97 μ M and 0.81 μ M, respectively. The recovery percentages for IMD and FIP in environmental water samples varied from 90.0%–105.0%. In conclusion, the developed sensor was successfully optimized and can be used for the simultaneous detection of both IMD and FIP in environmental water samples.