A promising electrochemical sensor based on PVP-induced shape control of a hydrothermally synthesized layered structured vanadium disulfide for the sensitive detection of a sulfamethoxazole antibiotic

The presence of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in natural waters has become a significant concern recently because of its detrimental effects on human health and the ecological environment. To address this issue, it is of utmost urgency to develop a reliable method that can determine SMX at ultra-low levels. In our research, we utilized PVP-induced shape control of a hydrothermal synthesis method to fabricate layer-like structured VS₂, and employed it as an electrode modification material to prepare an electrochemical sensor for the sensitive determination of SMX. Thus, our prepared VS₂ electrodes exhibited a linear range of 0.06-10.0 μM and a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 47.0 nM (S/N = 3) towards SMX detection. Additionally, the electrochemical sensor presented good agreement with the HPLC method, and afforded perfect recovery results (97.4-106.8%) in the practical analysis. The results validated the detection accuracy of VS₂ electrodes, and demonstrated their successful applicability toward the sensitive determination of SMX in natural waters. In conclusion, this research provides a promising approach for the development of electrochemical sensors based on VS₂ composite materials.