Multi-channel high-sensitivity oxidation colorimetric array based on HAuCl₄ for pesticide detection

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Pesticide contamination poses a significant global threat to agriculture and environmental health.
• Existing pesticide detection methods often lack efficiency, reliability, or the ability to detect multiple residues simultaneously.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, multi-channel colorimetric sensor array for the simultaneous detection and discrimination of multiple pesticide residues.
• To enhance the selectivity and accuracy of pesticide detection, especially for structurally similar compounds.

Main Methods:

• Development of a multi-channel colorimetric sensor array utilizing HAuCl4-mediated oxidation reactions.
• Integration of six distinct colorimetric channels with multivariate statistical analysis for data interpretation.
• Systematic optimization of reaction parameters to improve sensor performance.

Main Results:

• The sensor array successfully identified 11 different classes and distinguished five specific pesticides.
• Achieved high selectivity and classification accuracy, even for structurally similar pesticides.
• Demonstrated a detection limit of 6 μg/mL with rapid detection within 30 minutes.

Conclusions:

• The developed sensor array offers a simple, rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective solution for pesticide detection.
• This multi-parameter approach overcomes limitations of traditional single-target methods, enabling accurate identification of multiple pesticide residues.
• The sensor is well-suited for on-site pesticide screening and food safety monitoring applications.