Electro-sensing base for herbicide aclonifen at graphitic carbon nitride modified carbon electrode – Water and soil sample analysis

The present study investigated the voltammetric analysis of ACF herbicide in water and soil samples using the electrochemical technique. The sensing device was constructed for the detection of ACF using graphitic carbon nitride coated onto a glassy carbon electrode (g-C₃N₄/GCE). The sensing material was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Under optimal conditions, the effect of pH demonstrated the highest peak current at pH 8.0. Electro-kinetic parameters such as heterogeneous rate constant, transfer coefficient, activation energy, and the number of protons and electrons involved in the reduction of ACF have been determined. The SWV technique was employed to detect ACF at trace level concentration. Linearity was observed over the range of 0.01 μM - 1.2 μM with a limit of detection at 1.28 nM of the analyte. Biological, agricultural and environmental relevance of the method developed was successfully applied to the monitoring of ACF in wastewater as well as in actual soil samples.