Flexible and water-soluble polythiophene carboxylate for selective appraisal of acebutolol in aqueous samples

This study investigates the effectiveness, selectivity, and electrochemical properties of water-soluble polythiophene carboxylic acid-modified glassy carbon electrode (PTPh3C/GCE) for detecting acebutolol (ACE) in the presence of a variety of water sources. Initially, conjugated PTPh3C polymer was synthesized via polymerization and further characterized by spectroscopic and analytical methods. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) investigates the resistivity of the electrodes, and PTPh3C/GCE exhibited a low resistivity (Rct = 80 Ω) than bare GCE (Rct = 275 Ω). In optimal conditions, the constructed sensor exhibited a wide linear range of 0.009–616 μM, low detection limit (3.1 nM), good sensitivity (0.22 μA μM−1 cm−2), and high selectivity. In addition, the proposed sensor was successfully used to detect ACE in environmental water sample outcomes with satisfactory recoveries.