Kaolinite-based Hybrid Material from Interlayer Grafting of 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine and Application to the Sensitive Voltammetric Detection of Lead

This work describes the synthesis of an organo-inorganic hybrid material and its application as low-cost electrode material for the electrochemical detection of trace levels of lead in contaminated water. The organo-inorganic hybrid material was obtained by the grafting of 1-(2-hydroxyethylpiperazine) (HEP) in the interlayer space of a natural kaolinite (K). The obtained organokaolinite (K-HEP) was characterized by XRD, FTIR and TGA-DTG techniques. XRD results in particular showed that the structure of the pristine kaolinite was not affected during the synthesis of K-HEP. It was also noticed from C-13 NMR data that the structure of HEP was preserved during the synthesis process. Taking into account the affinity of the amine group on HEP molecule for lead ions, K-HEP was used to modify the surface of glassy carbon electrode (GCE) (GCE/K-HEP) in order to build a sensor for lead detection. The peak current of Pb(II) recorded on GCE/K-HEP was more intense compared to the signal recorded on bare GCE, and on natural kaolinite film modified GCE. Several parameters that can affect the stripping response were systematically investigated to optimize the sensitivity of the organokaolinite film modified electrode. Under optimized conditions, a calibration curve was obtained in the concentration range from 8.29 to 116.03 ppb; with a detection limit of 0.25 ppb (S/N=3). After the study of some interfering species on the electrochemical response of Pb(II), the developed sensor was successfully applied to the quantification of the same pollutant in tap water and spring water samples.