The persistent toxicity and bioaccumulation of lead ions (Pb2+) in aquatic systems pose significant risks to environmental and public health, necessitating the development of reliable trace-level detection strategies. In this work, a high-performance electrochemical sensor is fabricated through the rational design of a 2D nanocomposite comprising hydrofluoric acid-etched Ti3C2Tx MXene and vanadium disulfide (VS2). The integration leverages the high electrical conductivity and surface functionalization capacity of Ti3C2Tx with the intrinsic redox activity and layered structure of VS2, resulting in a composition with accelerated electron transfer rates and improved surface adsorption for Pb2+ ions. The Ti3C2Tx@VS2 composite, functionalized on a glassy carbon electrode via a simple drop-casting approach, exhibits a broad linear detection window spanning 1 ppb to 100 ppm and an ultralow detection limit of 0.13 ppb, enabling precise monitoring much below regulatory thresholds. The sensor demonstrates excellent repeatability (RSD <1.02%), high selectivity against common interfering ions. This study highlights the functional synergy of Ti3C2Tx@VS2 interfaces and establishes a promising route for scalable, high-fidelity electrochemical sensing of heavy metal pollutants in complex environmental matrices.
Mishra et al. (Mon,) studied this question.