Novel platform based on Ti₃C₂ MXene/thermally treated porous carbon composite for simultaneous detection of dopamine and acetaminophen

Background Excessive consumption of dopamine and acetaminophen can lead to neural disorders and health problems. Also, as major water pollutants, their presence in the environment can have severe effects on all kinds of living species. Methods In this study, a novel electrochemical sensor was developed using a composite of titanium carbide MXenes (Ti₃C₂) and thermally treated porous carbon (TTPC) for the simultaneous detection of dopamine (DOP) and acetaminophen (ACOP) for the first time. The sensing material was synthesized via a straightforward ultrasonication method. MXene was selected as the primary component because of its abundant surface terminations, which facilitated strong interactions with the target analytes. TTPC served as a complementary material, offering a large surface area and high electrical conductivity, which accelerated electron transfer. Significant Findings Successful fabrication of the composite was confirmed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The developed sensor demonstrated a broad linear detection range of 2.5–57 μM for DOP and 0.5–32.5 μM for ACOP. It exhibited a low detection limit of 0.174 μM and 0.367 μM for DOP and ACOP respectively, indicating its potential for real-world applications, paving the way for their use in biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.