Fabrication of electrochemical sensor based on nanocomposite of zinc oxide nanoparticle-molecularly imprinted polymer for determination of tyrosine in food

This work describes the creation and assessment of an electrochemical sensor for the measurement of tyrosine (Tyr) in a variety of materials, such as food, human serum, and urine. The sensor is based on a nanocomposite of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). The novel pairing of MIPs with ZnO nanoparticles improved the sensor’s stability, selectivity, and sensitivity. Tyr was measured concurrently to assess the electrode’s functionality. Tyr’s oxidation peak current was shown to increase as concentrations rose, showing a linear connection between 4 μM and 1100 μM. The electrode response was found to be highly sensitive, as evidenced by the detection limit of 0.008 μM. Tyr detection was found to have a wider linear range and lower detection limits when compared to previously published approaches. The sensor produced consistent results across all samples with recovery rates ranging from 95.15 to 99.80%, and it showed good repeatability, reproducibility, and stability. Moreover, this study introduced an electrochemical sensor with ZnO nanoparticles and MIPs for Tyr detection in food, serum, and urine, demonstrating RSD below 4.80%, and consistent stability over 27 days. The aforementioned results highlight the appropriateness and dependability of the sensor when applied to real-world samples. It also shows significant potential for improving our capacity to identify and track Tyr levels, which are essential for health evaluations, illness diagnosis, and food safety. Subsequent research endeavors will center upon enhancing the sensor’s functionality and investigating its possible uses in alternative domains. This work is crucial as it introduces a reliable method for determining tyrosine levels in food samples, a key factor in food safety and health evaluations.