Rapid Detection of Ascorbic Acid Based on a Dual-Electrode Sensor System Using a Powder Microelectrode Embedded with Carboxyl Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

In this paper, carboxyl groups were introduced by liquid oxidation methods onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to improve the MWCNTs’ electrocatalytic properties. A platinum wire microelectrode (ME) was corroded using aqua regia and subsequently embedded with MWCNTs to achieve more active sites, producing a so-called powder microelectrode (PME). Compared with conventional MEs, the PME has a larger specific surface area and more active sites. When PME was used to detect ascorbic acid (AA), the AA oxidation potential shifted negatively and current peak was visibly increased. The calibration curve obtained for AA was in a range of 5.00 × 10(−6)~9.50 × 10(−4) mol·L(−1): I(pa)(μA) = 3.259 × 10(−2) + 1.801 × 10(2) C (mol·L(−1)) under the optimum testing conditions. Moreover, the detection and quantitation limits were confirmed at 4.89 × 10(−7) mol·L(−1) and 1.63 × 10(−7) mol·L(−1), respectively. When the fabricated PME was practically applied to detect AA, it was shown a recovery rate of 94~107% with relative standard deviation (RSD) <5%. The proposed strategy thus offers a promising, rapid, selective and low-cost approach to effective analysis of AA.