Highly Sensitive Fluorescence Sensor for Carrageenan from a Composite Methylcellulose/Polyacrylate Membrane

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Polymer Science
• Food Science

Background:

• Carrageenans, widely used food additives, pose potential health risks.
• Existing carrageenan determination methods can be complex and time-consuming.
• Development of a simpler, more sensitive analytical technique is needed.

Discussion:

• A novel optical sensor was developed using a methylcellulose/poly(n-butyl acrylate) composite membrane with immobilized methylene blue.
• The composite membrane's insolubility and methylene blue immobilization enable sensitive carrageenan detection.
• The sensor demonstrates a linear response to carrageenan concentrations (1.0-20.0 mg L⁻¹) with a low detection limit (0.4 mg L⁻¹).

Key Insights:

• The developed optical sensor offers high sensitivity and selectivity for carrageenan analysis.
• Accurate carrageenan quantification was validated with high recovery rates (90-102%) in spiked fruit juice samples.
• This method provides a simple, rapid, and sensitive alternative to sophisticated carrageenan determination techniques.

Outlook:

• Potential for integration into routine food quality control and safety assessments.
• Further research could explore sensor adaptability for other polysaccharide analyses.
• This technology paves the way for more accessible and efficient food additive monitoring.