Phosphate sensors based on Co-Cu electrodes fabricated with a sacrificial glass fiber paper template

Phosphate contamination of surface water systems, originating from fertilizer runoff, can lead to eutrophication and other environmental problems. There are increasing demands for preventive in situ phosphate monitoring systems and various types of electrochemical phosphate sensors have been developed. However, their complex fabrication processes, instability, and oxygen interferences impose significant challenges on practical implementation. We report a surface textured Co-Cu electrode-based phosphate sensor fabricated by pulsed electroplating (PEP) using a sacrificial glass fiber paper template. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) tests in oxygenated and deoxygenated aqueous solutions were used to determine the optimum applied potential to eliminate oxygen interference. The developed phosphate sensor showed a linear amperometric response to phosphate solutions (pH 4.0, 0.05M KHP) in the concentration range of 10-5 to 10-2M with good stability and relatively short response time (<;30s).