A sensitive and economical electrochemical platform for detection of food additive tert-butylhydroquinone based on porous Co3O4 nanorods embellished chemically oxidized carbon black

Abstract

Artificial food preservatives are widely utilized across the globe to prolong shelf life of food. In this paper, a highly sensitive and cost-effective electrochemical sensor for the nanomolar detection of synthetic antioxidant tert-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) commonly used as a food preservative is reported. A hybrid nanocomposite was sonochemically prepared by embedding surface functionalized carbon black (FCB) on spinel Co₃O₄ nanorods. We used oxalic acid mediated co-precipitation approach in the synthesis of highly porous Co₃O₄ nanorods and CB was chemically oxidized using acid-treatment. Significant characterization techniques including XRD, SEM, mapping, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, and EIS were utilized for analyzing morphological and structural properties of materials. The prepared hybrid nanocomposite modified electrode exhibited excellent electrochemical performance. A high sensitivity of 7.94 μA μM⁻¹ cm⁻², ultra-low detection limit of 1 nM, and quantification limit of 5 nM was achieved in TBHQ detection based on the modified electrode. Furthermore, the practicality of the developed electrochemical sensor in TBHQ detection is confirmed by conducting real sample analysis experiment in beef tallow, peanut oil, and lake water resulting in adequate recovery values.