Enhanced Cadmium Sensing in Fertilizer Samples using Zeolite-modified Graphite Electrode

Abstract

The presence of heavy metals in fertilizers poses significant environmental and health risks, necessitating robust detection methods to ensure agricultural sustainability and food safety. This study focuses on synthesizing Na-P1 zeolite from coal fly ash and fumed silica wastes, employing it as a potent modifier in graphite electrodes to enhance the electrochemical detection of cadmium(II) in fertilizer samples. Through meticulous assessment using cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, the electrochemical performance of the zeolite-modified graphite electrode was evaluated. The optimization process involved fine-tuning various parameters such as paste composition, solution pH, scan rate, and analyte concentration. Real sample analysis confirmed the applicability of the method in fertilizer samples. Notably, in an HCl medium (pH=1.0), the SWV oxidation peak of Cd(II) was observed at -0.56 V (vs. SCE) with a deposition time of 20 s and a scan rate of 75 mV∙s⁻¹. The ZGE exhibited a remarkable detection limit of 1 µM and a high sensitivity of 6.581 µA/µM.cm² within a linear detection range of 10-3-10-6 M. These findings highlight the potential utility of Na-P1 zeolite in handheld analytic device manufacturing, offering promising applications in environmental monitoring, resource management, and water and soil resource remediation.