Molecularly Imprinted Polymer-Enhanced Electrochemical Sensor for Sensitive and Selective Captan Detection in Fruit...

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Pesticide detection is crucial for food safety and environmental monitoring.
• Existing methods for Captan detection can be time-consuming or lack sensitivity.
• Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) offer a promising platform for selective analyte recognition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a selective, rapid, and sensitive electrochemical sensor for Captan detection.
• To fabricate a sensor using electropolymerization of o-phenylenediamine (o-PD) on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with Captan as the template.
• To evaluate the sensor's performance, including linearity, sensitivity, selectivity, and applicability in real samples.

Main Methods:

• Electropolymerization of o-PD onto GCE in the presence of Captan using cyclic voltammetry (CV).
• Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) for template removal, optimization, and performance evaluation.
• Electrochemical detection using a ferrocyanide/ferricyanide redox indicator.

Main Results:

• The MIP@o-PD/GCE sensor exhibited a linear response to Captan in the concentration range of 1 × 10^-14 to 9 × 10^-14 M.
• The sensor demonstrated high selectivity against structurally similar compounds and common interfering substances.
• Successful quantification of Captan in spiked apple samples confirmed the sensor's practical applicability.

Conclusions:

• The developed MIP sensor provides a highly sensitive and selective electrochemical method for Captan detection.
• The sensor's ability to detect Captan at low concentrations in real food samples highlights its potential for food safety monitoring.
• This approach offers a rapid and efficient alternative for pesticide analysis.