On-Site Electrochemical Detection of Sulfentrazone Using a Fully 3D-Printed Portable Sensing Platform

Abstract The widespread use of pesticides in agricultural activities has increased concerns regarding environmental contamination and occupational exposure, particularly through dermal contact. In this work, we report a portable and low-cost electrochemical sensing platform for on-site monitoring of sulfentrazone (SFT), a herbicide extensively used in eucalyptus cultivation. The proposed device consists of a fully 3D-printed miniaturized electrochemical system fabricated by multi-material printing using conductive and non-conductive filaments, enabling accessible and decentralized analysis. SFT detection was performed by square-wave voltammetry (SWV), exhibiting a single irreversible oxidation peak at +0.86 V (pH 6.5). Under optimized conditions, the platform showed a linear response from 1.1 to 101.1 μmol L–1, with a limit of detection of 0.50 μmol L–1 (obtained through IUPAC recommendations). The proposed approach demonstrated satisfactory accuracy and precision in spiked tap water samples, with recoveries ranging from 100 to 103% and RSD values ≤ 2.9% (n = 3). Additionally, the platform was successfully applied to porcine skin samples as a model for detecting dermal contamination, yielding recoveries between 81 and 111%. The combination of additive manufacturing and electrochemical sensing provides a simple, reliable, and field-deployable strategy for SFT monitoring in environmental and biological matrices, highlighting the potential of fully 3D-printed analytical platforms for occupational and environmental applications.