In
this report, the ultrasensitive simultaneous determination of
bisphenol A (BPA), phenol, and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) as hazardous phenolic
endocrine-disrupting agents was explored by square wave voltammetry
(SWV) using magnetic “needlelike” Fe3O4 nanorods (MNRs) and a poly(3,4-methylenedioxy)aniline (PMDAN)
nanocomposite-modified graphite paste electrode (GPE). The MNRs had
dimensions of 5.3 ± 1.1 nm in width and 61.4 ± 3.3 nm in
length. A solid-state, green, and sustainable method incorporating
mechanochemical reactions between 3,4-(methylenedioxy)aniline as a
novel aniline monomer and Fe(III) chloride was used for the synthesis
of MNR-PMDAN. The MNR-PMDAN nanocomposite-modified GPE (MNR-PMDAN/GPE)
exhibited three well-defined anodic peaks at 0.82, 0.96, and 1.20
V vs Ag/AgCl for BPA, phenol, and 4-NP, respectively, in an acidic
electrolyte solution at pH 2.0. The calibration curves were linear
up to 40.0, 150.0, and 125.0 μM with a limit of detection of
4.3, 15.3, and 16.8 nM for BPA, phenol, and 4-NP, respectively. MNR-PMDAN/GPE
was also used for the determination of BPA, phenol, and 4-NP in real
samples with recoveries in the range of 95.2–104.9%. The results
of this study demonstrate that the MNR-PMDAN nanocomposite is suitable
for applications toward the development of a handheld device for on-field
prescreening of hazardous endocrine-disrupting pollutants.