Graphene Oxide-Based Hydrogel in Phenol Sensors

This study aims to develop and evaluate a nanocomposite hydrogel film sensor for accurately detecting phenol in various real samples. A nanocomposite hydrogel film was synthesised using a three-dimensional network structure formed by poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and gum Arabic (GA) as initiators, graphene oxide (GO) as functionalmonomers, and citric acid (CA) as a cross-linker. The hydrogel’s morphological, structural, and elemental properties were characterised through microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The hydrogel film-based sensor employed phenol as “imprinted molecules” and phosphate buffer as the solvent. The sensor demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in detecting phenol within the concentration range of 1 to 50 μM, with a low detection limit of 0.01 mM. The interaction between phenol and the GO nanocomposite within the hydrogel film underpins the sensor’s performance. The findings highlight the potential of GO-based hydrogels as high-performance materials for sensing applications. This research advances environmental monitoring technologies, facilitating the accurate and specific recognition of toxic phenolic compounds like phenol in industrial and environmental settings.