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Highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for the food toxicant Sudan I based on a glassy carbon electrode modified with reduced graphene oxide decorated with Ag-Cu nanoparticles

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Abstract

The authors describe a method for room temperature preparation of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) decorated with Ag-Cu nanoparticles (NPs). The nanocomposite (Ag-CuNP/rGO) was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with this nanocomposite dispersed is shown to be a viable electrode for determination of Sudan I (best at a working voltage of −112 mV vs. Ag/AgCl), with remarkably increased electrochemical response to Sudan I compared to that of a plain GCE. The calibration plot is linear in the 1.0 nM to 10 µM concentration range, with a 0.4 nM detection limit (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3). The method was successfully applied to the determination of Sudan I in ketchup and chili powder.

The nanocomposite of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) decorated with Ag-Cu nanoparticles (Ag-CuNP/rGO) was prepared using NaBH4 as a reductant at room temperature. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was coated with a Ag-CuNP/rGO nanocomposite to form a modified electrode that can detect trace concentrations of Sudan I.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 20775002, 21405003) for financial support. The work was supported by Program for Innovative Research Team in Anhui Normal University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anhui Key Laboratory of chemo-Biosensing, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, People’s Republic of China

    Youzhi Yao, Yunchun Liu & Zhousheng Yang

  2. Wuhu Institute of Technology, Wuhu, 241000, China

    Youzhi Yao

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  1. Youzhi Yao
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  2. Yunchun Liu
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Correspondence to Zhousheng Yang.

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Yao, Y., Liu, Y. & Yang, Z. Highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for the food toxicant Sudan I based on a glassy carbon electrode modified with reduced graphene oxide decorated with Ag-Cu nanoparticles. Microchim Acta 183, 3275–3283 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-016-1977-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-016-1977-2

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