In-situ construction of WO₃ nanorods on the carbon microsphere composite for effective electrochemical determination of mesotrione herbicide in environmental samples

Background: Herbicides are chemical agents that promote plant and crop growth by killing weeds and other pests. However, unconsumed and excessively used herbicides may enter groundwater and agricultural areas, damaging water, air, and soil resources. Mesotrione (MT) is an extensively used herbicide to cultivate corn, sugarcane, and vegetables. Excessive consumption of MT residues pollutes the soil, water, and environmental systems. Methods: Henceforth, the potential electrocatalyst of the tungsten trioxide nanorods on the carbon microsphere (WO₃/C) composite was synthesized for nanomolar electrocatalytic detection of MT. The electrocatalysts of WO₃/C were synthesized hydrothermally, and the WO₃/C composite was in-situ constructed by using the reflux method. Significant findings: Remarkably, the as-prepared WO₃/C composite displayed a fantastic sensing platform for MT, characterized by an astonishingly nanomolar detection limit (10 nm), notable sensitivity (1.284 µA µM^-1 cm^-2), exceptional selectivity, and amazing stability. The actual sample test was carried out using MT added in food and environmental samples of corn, sugar cane, sewage water, and river water. The minimum MT response recovery in vegetable and water samples was determined to be approximately 97 % and 99 %, respectively. The results indicate that the WO₃/C composite is an effective electrode material for real-time MT measurement in portable devices.