Ultrasensitive Detection of Pb2+ Ions in Water Using WS2 Nanoflowers

The swift and accurate detection of waterborne pollutants is crucial due to the significant risks they pose to both human health and the environment. Lead and its compounds are highly toxic and can cause various illnesses. However, current lead detection systems face several limitations, including slow response times, high costs, and limited mobility. In this investigation, we have successfully engineered a sensor capable of detecting trace levels of toxic Pb
²
+ ions with excellent sensitivity, remarkable selectivity, and rapid transient performance. The developed sensor comprised of CTAB-WS2 as a sensing layer drop-casted on interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) device, sensing layer synthesized through a facile hydrothermal method. Surface morphological, crystal structure and elemental composition of the synthesized CTAB-WS2 is investigated via FESEM, XRD and EDX analysis. Moreover, sensing performance of the developed sensor display outstanding selectivity towards Pb
²
+ ions in the presence of other heavy metal ions. With a sensitivity of 418 µA/ppb and a remarkable detection limit of 89.9 ppt, the sensor demonstrated exceptional performance. Moreover, its rapid response time of less than 5 seconds makes it suitable for real-time detection applications. These superior attributes position CTAB-WS2-based sensors as a promising candidate for deployment in real- time environmental quality monitoring and toxic metal detection endeavors.