Integrated molybdenum single atom array sensors with multichannels for nitrite detection in foods

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Nitrite (NO2-) is prevalent in food, but excessive intake poses health risks, including carcinogenicity.
• Accurate detection of nitrite is essential for food safety and human health.
• Existing detection methods may lack portability or efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an integrated array sensor for sensitive and rapid nitrite detection.
• To utilize molybdenum single atom material (Mo-SAC) for enhanced electrochemical performance.
• To create a portable and efficient device for real-world food sample analysis.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an integrated array sensor using high-resolution electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing.
• Incorporation of Mo-SAC to facilitate electron transfer in redox reactions for nitrite detection.
• Integration of a printed electrode array, PDMS microchannels, and a Bluetooth-enabled electronic signal processing unit.

Main Results:

• The sensor demonstrated a wide linear range (0.1 μM–107.8 mM) and a low detection limit (33 nM).
• High sensitivity (0.637 mA⁻¹mM⁻¹ cm⁻²) was achieved for nitrite detection.
• The portable array sensor successfully performed simultaneous measurements of nitrite in six food samples with good recovery rates.

Conclusions:

• The developed Mo-SAC based array sensor offers a promising platform for rapid, sensitive, and portable nitrite detection.
• This technology has significant potential for application in food safety and the broader detection of small molecules.
• The integrated sensor design enhances efficiency and accuracy in analyzing complex samples.