PdCu@rGO-based Electrochemical Sensor for Rapid Detection of Catechol

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Food Safety

Background:

• Catechol is a phenolic pollutant threatening food safety.
• Conventional detection methods are complex and costly.
• Electrochemical sensors offer rapid, miniaturized detection but require optimized materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sensitive and selective electrochemical sensor for catechol detection.
• To synthesize and characterize PdCu@rGO nanocomposites for enhanced electrocatalytic activity.
• To evaluate the sensor's performance in real food samples.

Main Methods:

• One-step liquid-phase reduction synthesis of PdCu@rGO composites with varying ratios.
• Fabrication of a Pd1Cu2@rGO/SPE sensor.
• Electrochemical characterization and catechol detection.
• Analysis of spiked green tea and fruit juice samples.

Main Results:

• The Pd1Cu2@rGO composite exhibited optimal electrocatalytic activity.
• The sensor showed a wide linear range (0.5-500 μM) and low limit of detection (200 nM).
• High sensitivity, selectivity, repeatability (RSD=4.9%), and anti-interference were achieved.
• Successful detection in real food samples with high recovery rates (91.0-104.8%).

Conclusions:

• The PdCu@rGO nanocomposite-based sensor is a reliable platform for rapid, on-site catechol screening.
• The study offers insights into designing bimetallic alloy-graphene heterostructures for sensing applications.
• This method significantly contributes to improving food safety by enabling efficient pollutant detection.