Bimetallic Copper-Cobalt Nanoparticles Decorated on the Carbon Microtubes Derived from the Used FM for Electrochemical Pollution Detection of Lead

The rise of covid-19 had an unfathomable impact on society. It resulted in the widespread usage and disposal of FMs. Particularly polypropylene FMs, which are inexpensive. This study aimed to repurpose discarded FMs into carbon material for potential applications. The Face Mask (FM) sample was subjected to pyrolysis at selected temperatures. Crystal structure and formation were studied using XRD and FESEM. FM samples exhibited good electrochemical features, better than the other samples in an alkaline medium. The microtube-based FM sample was coated with cobalt-copper bimetallic composites and evaluated for their electrochemical sensing potential in lead detection in wastewater. This study focuses on upcycling waste into a sensor for detecting another pollutant. We believe this makes the process double effective, reducing the levels of both contaminants from the environment.