# Manganese Oxide as an Electrochemical Sensor for Carbamazepine and Sulfamethoxazole in Wastewater Samples

## TL;DR

A new sensor using manganese oxide nanoparticles detects two pharmaceuticals in wastewater with high sensitivity and accuracy.

## Contribution

A novel MnO2NP-modified electrode enables simultaneous detection of carbamazepine and sulfamethoxazole at ultra-low concentrations.

## Key findings

- The sensor achieved detection limits of 0.106 nM for carbamazepine and 0.082 nM for sulfamethoxazole.
- Recovery tests in real wastewater showed 95–110% for carbamazepine and 90–105% for sulfamethoxazole.
- The sensor demonstrated excellent selectivity, stability, and practical potential for monitoring pharmaceutical pollutants.

## Abstract

The extensive use of pharmaceutical compounds poses a growing threat to environmental and public health. Carbamazepine (CBZ) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX), widely used in veterinary and human medicine, are persistent pollutants often detected in water bodies. Their presence at trace levels can contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. In this study, a novel electrochemical sensor based on manganese oxide nanoparticles (MnO2NPs) modified screen‐printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was fabricated for the detection of CBZ and SMX. The effects of pH, scan rate, and analyte concentration were systematically investigated. Under optimized conditions, the sensor exhibited excellent sensitivity with detection limits of 0.106 nanomolar (CBZ) and 0.082 nanomolar (SMX), respectively within a linear range of 0.97–5.82 nanomolar. The sensor showed outstanding selectivity and stability, and its effectiveness was confirmed by recovery tests in real wastewater samples, with values ranging from 95% to 110% (CBZ) and 90% to 105% (SMX), respectively. These findings demonstrate the practical potential of MnO2NPs/SPCE‐based sensors for monitoring emerging contaminants.

A manganese oxide (MnO2) nanoparticle‐modified screen‐printed carbon electrode enables sensitive and simultaneous electrochemical detection of carbamazepine and sulfamethoxazole in wastewater, demonstrating improved oxidation signals and enhanced analytical performance for pharmaceutical monitoring.© 2026 WILEY‐VCH GmbH