An electrochemical sensor based on a MOF/ZnO composite for the highly sensitive detection of Cu(ii) in river water samples

Cu(ii) ions are one of the most common forms of copper present in water and can cause bioaccumulation and toxicity in the human body; therefore, sensitive and selective detection methods are required. Herein, a copper ion sensor based on a UiO-66-NH(2)/ZnO composite material is proposed. The UiO-66-NH(2)/ZnO nanocomposite was prepared by an ultrasonic mixing method. The morphology and structure of the nanocomposite were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The sensitivity to Cu(ii) is 6.46 μA μM(−1) and the detection limit is 0.01435 μM. The composite material is rich in –OH and –NH(2) groups, which are active sites for Cu(ii) adsorption. The UiO-66-NH(2)/ZnO-modified electrode has good repeatability and anti-interference ability. The sensor was successfully used for the determination of Cu(ii) in an actual water sample.