Gold Nanoparticles‐Titania Heterojunction: Photoelectrochemical Detection of Ciprofloxacin

A photoelectrochemical sensor composed of a heterojunction between titanium dioxide and gold nanoparticles was fabricated and used for the determination of ciprofloxacin, a widely used, but environmentally toxic third-generation antibiotic. This material has been extensively characterized from the morphological, electrochemical and photoelectrochemical points of view, comparing it with the respective counterparts. It has been demonstrated that only the presence of the heterojunction allows the detection of ciprofloxacin, thanks to the properties of gold nanoparticles combined with those of titanium dioxide. These increased performances have allowed the detection of the analyte even with low power sources and wavelengths in the visible region, obtaining good detection limits and excellent resistance to possible interferents. Thanks to this, the future implementation of these sensors in integrated circuits for online and onsite analysis is foreseen.