Stripping voltammetry meets chemometric: a powerful duo for pinpointing harmful As³⁺ ions in water

This work introduces a ground-breaking electrochemical sensor for selectively detecting arsenic, a toxic contaminant, in water. The sensor merges the high sensitivity of stripping voltammetry with the powerful data analysis of chemometrics, achieving exceptional detection limits. By optimizing deposition potential, time, and scan rate, the analytical response is significantly enhanced. A chemometric approach based on principal component analysis (PCA) is implemented to address potential interference from other ions. This technique effectively isolates arsenic signals from background noise and interfering species, leading to superior selectivity and accurate quantification. The proposed method boasts a detection limit of 0.4 nM and a sensitivity of 176.34 µA µM⁻¹ for Arsenic, surpassing World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits for drinking water. The method exhibits excellent repeatability and stability, making it ideal for real-world water analysis applications. This innovative sensing platform presents a promising alternative for the sensitive, selective, and robust detection of Arsenic in water. This advancement has the potential to significantly improve water quality monitoring and safeguard public health.