Design of Neodymium Vanadate Nanoparticles Decorated on Carbon–Boron Core-Shell Microspheres Matrix: An Electrochemical Detection of Nilutamide

Abstract

The risk of pharmaceutical contamination is a growing ecological issue that affects every region of the globe. Continuous enhancement in the intake and negligent domestic ejection of these cytostatic agents are the main grounds for the occurrence of active residual metabolites in various aquatic environments. Electrochemical sensors are a capable substitute for other conventional analytical methods for monitoring toxic drug pollutants due to their beneficial features. Thus, the purpose of this work is to demonstrate an energy-efficient fabrication of neodymium vanadate integrated with boron-doped carbon (NdVO4/B–C) hybrid composite for the selective electrochemical determination of nilutamide (NT– anti-androgen drug). The choice of neodymium among rare earth metals has a significant impact on the electrochemical redox processes. In addition, rapid electron mobility for well-separated peaks and defined current potentials implies an improved active surface area in NdVO4. Therefore, the incorporation of B–C displays substantial enhancement in electronic conductivity, identifying the nanocomposite as a remarkable detecting candidate. The presence of multiple oxidation states of rare earth vanadate embedded on boron-doped activated carbon results in high synergistic interactions and advanced matrix structures that facilitate superlative electrocatalytic characteristics including the minimal Rct value (81.32 Ω.cm2), wide linear-range responses (0.001–344 μM), low limit of detection (0.0002 μM), high sensitivity (5.56 μA·μM−1·cm−2), good stabilities (operational stability = 3000 s and storage stability = 20 days), and excellent selectivity (with an excess concentration of 12 interfering compounds). It is noteworthy that the NdVO4/B–C modified electrode provides an outstanding recovery range (±99.91%–99.94%) for real sample analysis, thus marking it to be a competitive sensor option for commercial usage.