Carbon-fiber microelectrode modified with electrodeposited cobalt nanoparticles for the detection of paracetamol in real water samples

The development of highly stable, selective, and cost-effective electrodes for detecting emerging contaminants in real water samples is a key focus in both health and environmental research. This study presents the fabrication and application of a carbon-fiber-based microelectrode modified with electrodeposited cobalt nanoparticles (CFμE/Co) for the nanomolar quantification of paracetamol in drinking water, river water, and wastewater using differential pulse voltammetry. The developed CFμE/Co exhibited a linear range from 50.00 to 1000.0 nmol L ^-1with an R2 =0.9981, a limit of detection of 32.69 nmol L ^-1 (1000 times lower than the unmodified electrode), and a limit of quantification of 98.07 nmol L ^-1. Recovery tests in river and drinking water, fortified at two concentrations (150.0 and 250.0 nmol L ^-1), yielded recovery rates below 110%. Additionally, the acetaminophen concentration in wastewater from a nursing home was determined to be 931.83 nmol L ^-1. The CFμE/Co showed robust performance in real sample analysis, offering a simple and reproducible method for routine environmental monitoring and quality assessment of water.