10.57647/AP.2026.1001.12

Electrodeposited CdS Nanostructured Thin Films as a Photoelectrochemical Sensor for Monitoring Pb(II) in Aquatic Environments

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  • Zahra Ghalandari Ghojlu1,
  • Nasim Nobari*1,
  • Mahdi Behboudnia2,
  1. Department of Physics, Mah.C., Islamic Azad University, Mahabad, Iran
  2. Department of Physics, Urmia University of Technology, P.O. Box 57155-419, Urmia, Iran

Received: 2026-05-10

Revised: 2026-06-15

Accepted: 2026-06-25

Published in Issue 2026-06-30

Copyright (c) 2026 Zahra Ghalandari Ghojlu, Nasim Nobari, Mahdi Behboudnia (Author)

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Ghalandari Ghojlu, Z., Nobari, N., & Behboudnia, M. (2026). Electrodeposited CdS Nanostructured Thin Films as a Photoelectrochemical Sensor for Monitoring Pb(II) in Aquatic Environments. Anthropogenic Pollution, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.57647/AP.2026.1001.12
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Abstract

Nanostructured CdS thin films were fabricated on FTO substrates by electrodeposition for the photoelectrochemical detection of Pb (II) ions in water. The CdS films were deposited at an applied potential of 830 mV for 6 min, producing uniform nanostructured coatings on the conductive substrate. The structural, morphological, and compositional characteristics of the films were systematically investigated using X ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X ray spectroscopy (EDS). XRD analysis confirmed the formation of polycrystalline CdS with well-defined diffraction peaks corresponding to the CdS phase. SEM observations revealed a homogeneous nanostructured surface composed of closely packed grains with an average size of approximately 40 nm, providing a high surface area beneficial for sensing applications. EDS spectra verified the presence of Cd and S as the dominant elements, indicating the successful formation of CdS without detectable impurity phases. Optical characterization indicated a band gap energy of approximately 3.3 eV, demonstrating suitable photoactive behavior under visible light illumination. The photoelectrochemical sensing performance of the CdS thin films toward Pb (II) ions was evaluated in the concentration range of 1–20 ppm under periodic illumination (10 s light/dark cycles). The photocurrent response increased linearly with increasing Pb (II) concentration, following the calibration relationship: I(μA) = 0.42C + 0.19 The stronger sensing response is mainly due to the nanostructured CdS surface, which helps separate charges more efficiently and offers more sites for Pb (II) to bind. Overall, electrodeposited CdS films provide a simple, affordable, and effective way to detect Pb (II) in water.

Keywords

  • CdS thin films,
  • Nanostructured photoelectrodes,
  • Pb(II) quantification,
  • Potentially toxic elements (PTEs),
  • Aquatic environment monitoring
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