Graphene-Based Electrochemical Food Contaminant Sensors Developed for More Efficient Detection, Analysis of What We Eat and Drink

In new research, scientists summarized the enhancements in graphene-based electrochemical sensors for identifying food contaminants.

As an AZoNano report specifies, it is essential to identify food contaminants to shield people from probable adverse effects.

Essentially, food provides nutrition and other elements crucial for life, and every human has a right to safe foods.

On the other hand, food adulteration or contamination occurs by both natural and artificial means. It can happen in every step linked with food processing, transportation, and production and during its storage.

Food Contaminants Possible to Result in Over 200 Disease Types

According to the World Health Organization, poisonous food can lead to over 200 types of diseases in humans. Researchers have stated that the key source of food poisoning is universal environmental pollutants.

Usually, electrochemical sensors have three electrodes, including working, counter, and reference, placed in a cell containing an electrolytic solution. The device is attached to an electrochemical analyzer with a computer system.

Past studies have shown that nanomaterial-based electrodes showed increased sensitivity, enhanced selectivity, and ultra-low detection limitations.

This is because nanomaterials have extraordinary shapes, sizes, structures, high electrical and thermal conductivity, massive surface-to-volume ratio, and stability.

For example, reduced graphene oxide or RGO nanosheets show substantial electrical conductivity with low resistance, which is beneficial for developing electrochemical sensors.

Graphene-Based Detector of Food Contaminants

Graphene-based Electrochemical Sensors in the Detection of Food Contaminants Scientists have devised graphene-based electrochemical sensors to analyze food dyes quantitatively.

Called the rRGO (eRGO)/screen-printed carbon electrode or SPCE, this sensor has been developed to detect tartrazine and sunset yellow chemical food dyes, which are commonly used colorants in beverages such as juices, soft drinks, and energy drinks.

In their research published in Food and Chemical Toxicology, researchers have coated graphene nano-mesh on a glassy carbon electrode or GCE's surface, which functions as an amaranth sensor. Amaranth is frequently detected in fruit and chocolate drink samples.

Moreover, the efficiency of the graphene-based electrochemical sensors relies on some parameters, which include the concentration of the modified graphene nanosheet, incorporated nanomaterials' functions, pH, surface area, and a number of electroactive sites, among others.

Antimony in Food Products

A similar CSRA Science report specified that scientists have stated that the presence of certain contaminants, specifically the accumulation of pesticides in agricultural products, can be detected using graphene electrodes.

For example, scientists have developed the RGO/gold electrode to determine propamocarb, a fungicide in cucumbers. Likewise, nitrogen-dropped holey graphene/GCE enabled the detection of methyl parathion at a picomolar level.

Graphene-based electrochemical sensors are also used to detect inorganic food contaminants like lead, cadmium ions, and mercury.

Furthermore, scientists have developed an eRGO sensor to detect antimony in food products. Likewise, the eRGO/GCE sensor is used to detect antimony in canned drinks, lettuce, and celery samples.

Related information about graphene materials used in foods is shown on Playa Rund's YouTube video below:

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