Seed-mediated grown silver nanoparticles as a colorimetric sensor for detection of ascorbic acid

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Ascorbic acid (AA), also known as Vitamin C, is a vital nutrient with antioxidant properties.
• Accurate quantification of AA is crucial in food, pharmaceutical, and clinical applications.
• Existing detection methods may lack sensitivity, selectivity, or simplicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a straightforward and highly sensitive method for ascorbic acid detection.
• To utilize seed-mediated growth of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) for colorimetric sensing.
• To validate the method's performance and applicability in real-world samples.

Main Methods:

• Seed-mediated growth of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) triggered by ascorbic acid.
• Monitoring the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peak around 420 nm.
• Colorimetric analysis based on the color change from colorless to yellow.

Main Results:

• A distinct absorption band at ~420 nm correlated with Ag NP formation.
• A linear relationship was observed between absorption intensity and AA concentration.
• The developed colorimetric sensor achieved a detection limit of 0.054 μM for AA within the 0.25–25 μM range.
• The method demonstrated high selectivity for AA in the presence of potential interferents.

Conclusions:

• The seed-mediated synthesis of Ag NPs provides a facile platform for sensitive ascorbic acid detection.
• The colorimetric sensor is selective and reliable for AA determination.
• The method was successfully applied to quantify ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical tablets and lemonade.