A colorimetric method of analysis for trace amounts of hydrogen peroxide with the use of the nano-properties of molybdenum disulfide

Abstract

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) is an emerging material with some unique physical and electronic properties somewhat comparable to those of graphene. It was prepared with the use of a simple hydrothermal process, and has a layered structure similar to that of graphene. Also, it has a peroxidase-like catalytic activity and is able to catalyze the oxidation of the colorless peroxidase substrate, 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), in the presence of H₂O₂ to produce a blue product. This reaction used MoS₂ as a useful peroxidase, which involved a colorimetric method for trace analysis of H₂O₂ in water, e.g. lake waters. This method is uncomplicated, inexpensive and highly sensitive for H₂O₂ in the 0.125–1.75 μM range (LOD: 0.08 μM). It is also quite stable in the presence of many common inorganic and organic potentially interfering compounds, e.g. metal ions as well as amino acids and sugars.