Nanostructured Diatom-ZrO2 composite as a selective and highly sensitive enzyme free electrochemical sensor for detection of methyl parathion

Abstract In the current work we report a simple and scalable technique for synthesis of ordered nanoporous Si-ZrO 2 composite derived from the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum . The composite was well characterized using SEM, TEM-EDX, FTIR, TGA, BET and DLS. The diatom-ZrO 2 was found to have a specific surface area of 140 m 2 /g, Si:Zr ratio of 1:4 and a particle size of 80 ± 2 nm. This composite was evaluated as an enzyme free electrochemical sensor towards the detection of methyl parathion (MP) and showed excellent sensing ability at extremely low detection limits of 54.3 pM and a linear concentration range of 3.4 nM to 64 μM. The diatom-ZrO 2 composite was also found to be highly selective towards MP as shown by its response even in the presence of high concentrations of other interfering molecules and ions.