Defect-rich SrAl₂O₄@carbon black composite as a high-performance electrocatalyst for tert-Butylhydroquinone sensing...

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Synthetic antioxidants like TBHQ are common in processed foods.
• Accurate monitoring requires sensitive, rapid, and cost-effective analytical methods.
• Existing methods may lack the required sensitivity or speed for real-time food analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel defect-engineered SrAl2O4@CB nanocomposite.
• To investigate its application in sensitive electrochemical detection of TBHQ.
• To establish a rapid and cost-effective method for TBHQ quantification in food samples.

Main Methods:

• Facile synthesis of defect-engineered SrAl2O4@CB nanocomposite.
• Electrochemical characterization using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS).
• Detection of TBHQ using Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) on a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE).

Main Results:

• The SrAl2O4@CB/SPCE showed low charge-transfer resistance and facilitated superior electron transfer.
• A dual pathway mechanism involving molecular adsorption and OH bond polarization enhanced TBHQ detection.
• Achieved a wide linear detection range (0.01-142.94 μM) and ultra-low LOD (0.0051 μM).
• Demonstrated high operational reliability, selectivity, and accuracy in real food samples (97-103% recovery).

Conclusions:

• The defect-engineered SrAl2O4@CB/SPCE is a highly effective sensor for TBHQ detection.
• The sensor offers a sensitive, rapid, and reliable method for monitoring synthetic antioxidants in food.
• This approach holds promise for quality control in the food industry.