Detection of gaseous hydrogen peroxide using polyacrylic acid–copper(II) catalytic system at carbon-based screen-printed electrodes

Abstract This study concerns the electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide in the gas phase using screen-printed electrodes (SPEs). The research employs cyclic and square-wave voltammetry techniques to leverage equilibrium dynamics between the solution and gas phases for detecting gaseous analytes. A thorough study of the effect of the immobilized redox mediator on the complex redox environment, containing polyacrylic acid, copper ions, and hydrogen peroxide, is being analyzed. The detection system utilizes SPEs modified with Prussian blue and covered with a minute amount of supporting electrolyte, ensuring minimal cross-contamination and high sensitivity. The optimized methodology demonstrated a linear response to hydrogen peroxide concentrations within the gas phase, spanning a range approximately from the picomolar to nanomolar range. This low-concentration range validates the potential of the SPE platform for real-time monitoring of hydrogen peroxide, with implications for various industrial and biomedical applications. These findings contribute to advancing electrochemical sensing technologies for gas-phase analyte detection, setting the stage for further exploration in environmental monitoring and analytical chemistry.