Nicotine Degradation Detection by Marine Plants Using Hybrid Modified Electrode Made of Chitosan Nanofibers and Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes

The present study was performed to identify nicotine (NIC) in seawater in the presence of cigarette butts, several plants and seaweed using a modified glassy carbon electrode (MGCE) by cyclic voltammetry (CV).

The electrode was synthesized using the electrospinning technique of carbon nanotubes and chitosan and can detect the NIC of floating cigarette butts in a saltwater aquarium with the presence of two types of marine plants and a model of algae planted in sea sand.

Oxidation signals at lower potentials and higher currents in the presence of cigarette butts for the three plants Acetabularia, Caulerpa Mexicana and the algae sponge Codium SP show the decomposition of nicotine by these plants during photosynthesis and over time, respectively. These numbers for these plants are 0.82, 0.81 and 0.83 mV with currents of 57.70, 56.56 and 51.49 mA, respectively. Changes in pH, voltage and electric current over time and scan rate were investigated and the results show that the present electrode for parallel detection of NIC for 5 repetitions, 97.2% with standard deviation of 4.08 was able to maintain its stability compared to the first cycle.  

Therefore, MGCE electrode has excellent repeatability and stability, and this electrode can be used for proper diving guidance in environments with hazardous municipal waste.