Electrocatalytic detection of bisphenol A based on highly calcined Er₂O₃ nanoparticles modified Nafion/GCE for environmental sustainability

Environmental pollution from industrial and domestic activities poses a serious threat to aquatic ecosystem and human health. Therefore, development of efficient and low-cost technologies for detecting toxic pollutants is of significant environmental importance. In this study, highly calcined Er₂O₃ nanoparticles were synthesized via a wet chemical method and applied for the first time in the electrochemical detection of bisphenol A (BPA). The structural, morphological, and optical properties of the material were analyzed using FTIR, XRD, UV–Vis, FESEM-EDS, TGA, and XPS techniques. An Er₂O₃-NPs/Nafion-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was fabricated and evaluated using the current–potential (I[sbnd]V) approach. The sensor exhibited a linear dynamic range of 0.1 nM- 0.01 M, with a limit of detection (LOD) as 0.093 nM, limit of quantification (LOQ) detected as 0.31 nM, and sensitivity of 10.12 μAμM⁻¹ cm⁻², demonstrating excellent selectivity and stability towards BPA even in the presence of interferents. The developed sensor provides a promising, low-cost, and stable platform for the trace detection of BPA and can be extended to monitor other hazardous environmental pollutants.