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Microfluidic paper-based chip for parathion-methyl detection based on a double catalytic amplification strategy

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Abstract

The rapid detection of insecticides such as parathion-methyl (PM) requires methods with high sensitivities and selectivities. Herein, a dual catalytic amplification strategy was developed using Fe3O4 nanozyme-supported carbon quantum dots and silver terephthalate metal–organic frameworks (Fe3O4/C-dots@Ag-MOFs) as current amplification elements. Based on this strategy, a novel electrochemical microfluidic paper-based chip was designed to detect PM. Fe3O4/C-dots@Ag-MOFs were synthesised by a hydrothermal method, and a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was then synthesised on the surface of Fe3O4/C-dots@Ag-MOFs using PM as a template molecule. Finally, the reaction zone of a chip was modified with MIP/Fe3O4/C-dots@Ag-MOFs. PM from a sample introduced into the reaction zone was captured by the MIP, which generated a reduction current response at − 0.53 V in a three-electrode system embedded in the chip. Simultaneous catalysis by Fe3O4/C-dots and Ag-MOFs significantly enhanced the signal. The chip had a detection limit of 1.16 × 10−11 mol L−1 and was successfully applied to the determination of PM in agricultural products and environmental samples with recovery rates ranging from 82.7 to 109%, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of less than 5.0%. This approach of combining a dual catalytic amplification strategy with an MIP significantly increased the sensitivity as well as selectivity of chips and can potentially be used to detect a wide variety of target analytes using microfluidic paper-based chips.

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Funding

This project was supported by the Hainan Provincial Department of Science and Technology, China (ZDYF2020185), the Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund for the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (Nos. 1630082020001, 1630082017002, and 1251632021005), and China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA (CARS-31).

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Author notes

  1. Shuhuai Li and Chaohai Pang contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Analysis and Test Center of Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety for Tropical Fruits and Vegetables, Haikou, 571101, China

    Shuhuai Li, Chaohai Pang, Xionghui Ma, Yanling Zhang, Zhi Xu & Mingyue Wang

  2. College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China

    Jianping Li

  3. School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China

    Meng Zhang

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  1. Shuhuai Li
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  2. Chaohai Pang
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  3. Xionghui Ma
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  4. Yanling Zhang
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  5. Zhi Xu
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Correspondence to Shuhuai Li, Zhi Xu or Mingyue Wang.

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Li, S., Pang, C., Ma, X. et al. Microfluidic paper-based chip for parathion-methyl detection based on a double catalytic amplification strategy. Microchim Acta 188, 438 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-021-05084-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-021-05084-6

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