Highly stable ECL sensor based on a self-supplied H₂O₂ probe and MOF nanozyme for ultrasensitive environmental...

Zearalenone (ZEA), an environmental mycotoxin produced by Fusarium fungi, is widely present in grains and grain products. Due to its potent carcinogenicity and toxicity, it poses a serious threat to human and animal health, necessitating the development of simple, sensitive, and reliable ZEA detection methods. This study constructed a novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) probe based on Cu₂O@Au. This probe synergistically interacts with luminol, utilizing enzyme-catalyzed glucose decomposition to generate H₂O₂, which is further catalyzed to hydroxyl radicals (OH˙), thereby significantly amplifying the ECL signal. To enhance catalytic efficiency, a Tb-Cu metal-organic framework (Tb-Cu MOF) with horseradish peroxidase-mimetic activity was integrated onto the sensor interface to accelerate hydrogen peroxide decomposition. This integrated sensing platform achieves highly sensitive detection of ZEA, with a detection limit as low as 0.017 pg mL^-1 and a linear range spanning 0.10 pg mL^-1 to 100 ng mL^-1. This strategy provides a powerful analytical tool for detecting trace toxins in complex biological matrices, demonstrating broad application prospects in fields such as food safety and environmental analysis.