Perovskite-type tellurium-doped nickel stannate nanorods for highly sensitive electrochemical detection of arsenic drug roxarsone in food and environmental samples

The synthesis of perovskite-type tellurium-doped nickel stannate nanorods (TNS NRs) using surfactant-assisted hydrothermal followed by annealing processes is reported for the first time in this paper. Various analytical techniques were utilized to characterize the surface morphology, crystallinity, electronic states, and elemental compositions. The XRD patterns and FE-SEM/HR-TEM analysis demonstrated that TNS NRs have a tetragonal rutile phase with nanorod morphology. The TNS NRs modified electrode demonstrated a significantly improved electrocatalytic performance in the detection of organoarsenic drug roxarsone (ROX). The modified TNS NRs electrode demonstrated a low reduction potential (−0.53 V vs. Ag/AgCl) and a high reduction peak current response compared to previously reported sensors. The exceptional electrocatalytic performance of TNS NRs was primarily attributable to their nanorod morphology and high surface area, which allowed for a large number of active sites with a rapid electron transfer rate, making them optimal for ROX detection. Under optimal conditions, the proposed sensor performed well analytically, with a detection limit of 0.8 nM and a large recovery finding of 99.9% (n = 3). In addition, the sensor’s durability was demonstrated by its remarkable repeatability (RSD 2.1%), reproducibility, and 30-day storage capacity. In light of this, the present work shows a chemically viable method for designing electrocatalysts with tailored architecture and paves the way for the development of sustainable materials for environmental protection. © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.