Nanotechnology: Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles using Onion Extract Utilized to Modify Electrode Surfaces in the Detection Phenolic Compounds by Differential Pulse Voltammetry

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 23 (2018) pp 28-30

Nanotechnology: Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles using Onion Extract Utilized to Modify Electrode Surfaces in the Detection Phenolic Compounds by Differential Pulse Voltammetry

Arkan Nooralhuda^†, Rahmah Abdullah Alkhalaf^†, Matthew C. Neick^‡, Patrick J. Cleaver^† and Suzanne Lunsford*^,‡

^†Department of Engineering, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, ^‡Department of Chemistry, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, suzanne.lunsford@wright.edu Received November 3, 2017. Accepted February 12, 2018.

Published: 2 March 2018

Abstract. Our goal of the inquiry lab developed was to integrate electrochemical techniques such as Differential Pulse Voltammetry, DPV with the green synthesis of nanoparticles to enhance the electrocatalytic activity of the electrode surface to detect cresol and phenol. The green synthesis of silver nanoparticles utilizing Allium cepa L., the onion bulb extract, has assisted in the reduction of silver ions and thus rapid photosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). In Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) a rectangular pulse potential is applied and the current is measured shortly before the pulse and measured at the end of the pulse. DPV is a fast and simple method utilized to gain insight about the detection of phenolic compounds. The DPV technique facilitated the detection of phenolic compounds utilizing the AgNPs. The results illustrate an enhanced current signal compared to the bare electrodes. Thus this lab has allowed our students to gain knowledge on NPs and green synthesis plus gain knowledge on the enhancement in electrocatalytic activity with these AgNPs to detect carcinogenic compounds such as cresol and phenol simultaneously without the need of prior separation by DPV technique.

Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; analytic chemistry; cresol; phenol; electrochemical oxidation; differential pulse voltammetry; nanotechnology; green synthesis of silver nanoparticles

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: suzanne.lunsford@wright.edu )

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