Oxygen vacancies-driven self-powered photoelectrochemical sensor for acetamiprid detection

Area of Science:

• * Materials Science and Engineering
• * Analytical Chemistry
• * Environmental Science

Background:

• * Acetamiprid (ACT) residues in agricultural products pose potential health risks through dietary intake.
• * There is a critical need for rapid and highly sensitive detection methods for ACT to ensure food safety.
• * Photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensors offer promising advantages for sensitive analyte detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To construct a self-powered photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor for the sensitive and rapid detection of acetamiprid (ACT).
• * To enhance the sensor's performance through synergistic strategies including material design and signal amplification.
• * To validate the sensor's analytical performance for ACT detection in real-world samples.

Main Methods:

• * Fabrication of a self-powered PEC sensor utilizing W18O49/CdS as photoanode, BiOCl as photocathode, and Au@PANI for signal amplification.
• * Optimization of the photoanode material with matched band gaps and oxygen vacancies to improve charge transfer and carrier separation.
• * Development of a signal amplification mechanism based on the competitive binding of ACT to c-DNA and subsequent p-DNA-Au@PANI shedding.

Main Results:

• * The developed PEC sensor demonstrated excellent linearity for ACT detection in the range of 100 fM to 1 μM.
• * A low detection limit of 65.8 fM (S/N = 3) was achieved, indicating high sensitivity.
• * The sensor exhibited superior selectivity, stability, and reproducibility, with good performance in real sample analysis.

Conclusions:

• * The constructed self-powered PEC sensor provides a reliable and sensitive platform for acetamiprid detection.
• * The synergistic combination of advanced materials and signal amplification strategies significantly enhances detection capabilities.
• * This method holds great potential for routine monitoring of ACT residues in agricultural products, contributing to food safety assurance.