Recent advances in three-dimensional graphene and its derivatives for sample preparation in food contaminant analysis: A review

Abstract

Due to their high specific surface area and extended π-conjugated systems, various three-dimensional graphene and its derivatives have been successfully synthesized and widely utilized for the enrichment of contaminants in food matrices. However, the diversity of synthetic approaches for these materials, coupled with their broad applicability in food contaminant extraction, has limited their effectiveness as a coherent and unified framework for guiding the development of detection methods. Therefore, it is assumed that a systematic review of these synthesis strategies, together with a comprehensive elucidation of the mechanisms underlying the extraction of various contaminants, would provide precise guidance for the design of detection methods based on such advanced materials. Based on this rationale, the review presents a systematic overview of the synthesis methods for three-dimensional graphene and its derivatives, accompanied by a critical evaluation of the advantages and limitations of each approach. Furthermore, it summarizes recent applications of these materials in the enrichment of diverse food contaminants and elucidates the underlying adsorption mechanisms. The results indicate that each synthetic method entails specific limitations: high energy consumption in hydrothermal and solvothermal methods, the use of toxic reagents in chemical reduction method, reliance on cross-linking agents in freeze-drying and three-dimensional printing techniques, and the requirement for sophisticated equipment in chemical vapor deposition. Nevertheless, integrating multiple approaches can effectively overcome the inherent drawbacks of individual methods, as demonstrated by the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. Moreover, π–π stacking, hydrophobic, electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding collectively confer a distinct advantage in adsorption of aromatic food contaminants.