Electrochemical detection of phenol in industrial pollutant absorbed molecular sieves by electrochemically activated screen printed carbon electrode

An electrochemically activated screen printed carbon electrode (EASPCE) was used for the electrochemical detection of phenol in the industrial pollutant absorbed molecular sieves. GC-MS analysis had identified 15 organic compounds and found that phenol was the most abundant one among these indentified organic compounds in the industrial pollutant absorbed molecular sieves. In addition, the phenol was also detected at modified electrodes by using the electrochemical methods such as cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The surface morphology of the bare screen printed carbon electrode (SPCE) and EASPCE was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The result of EASPCE showed a good oxidation peak response to phenol in the presence of industrial pollutant absorbed molecular sieves, while the bare SPCE showed a very week response to phenol compared with EASPCE. The electrochemical behaviours of phenol implied that the oxidation of phenol is one electron and one proton transferred electrochemical reaction.