A novel electrochemical sensing strategy for determination of zearalenone in corn and wheat samples

In the present research, a novel and effective electrochemical sensing strategy for the trace measurement of zearalenone (ZEA) was investigated. The sensing platform is based on a Vulcan XC-72R carbon (VC)-Metal azolate framework (MAF) composite, which was utilized to modify a low expense carbon paste electrode (VC-MAF/CPE). The electrochemical characterization of the VC-MAF/CPE was studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), chronoamperometry and electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analyses. The effect of buffer pH, modifier dosage and buffer type were also optimized using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method. The calibration range for ZEA detection was found to be 0.8 to 110 ng mL^− 1 under optimal experimental conditions. The detection limit was calculated to be 0.15 ng mL^− 1, based on S/N = 3. The selectivity of the sensor was evaluated against various interferents, including dopamine, ascorbic acid, glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Real sample analysis was successfully conducted using the suggested assay, demonstrating its applicability for ZEA detection in corn and wheat samples. In addition, the sensor exhibited good reproducibility with RSD value of 3.25%. This work shows the effectiveness of the VC-MAF/CPE sensor for ZEA determination in agricultural samples.