Nanostructured Cerium-Oxide-Based Screen Printed Electrode for Electrochemical Detection of Melamine via Ascorbic Acid

Abstract

Nanostructured cerium oxide (CNP) was synthesized via co-precipitation and used as a base matrix to construct an enzyme-less electrochemical sensing platform for a non-electroactive analyte (i.e., melamine in the presence of ascorbic acid (AA)). CeO2 was screen printed (SP) on prefabricated gold electrodes for the indirect detection of melamine. The melamine concentrations varied in the range of 0.01 ppb to 10 ppm with a fixed amount of ascorbic acid (i.e., 50 ppm). Absorption spectra were obtained from 220 to 400 nm for all melamine concentrations. The cyclic voltammogram (CV) for different melamine concentrations was obtained in the applied voltage range of –1 to +1 V. The peak oxidation current reduced as a function of increased melamine concentration in the presence of ascorbic acid, which was supported by absorption studies. The obtained melamine sensitivities were 64.9 and 80.8 μA/ppb/mm2, respectively, without and with ascorbic acid. The limits of detection estimated from three times the signal-to-noise ratio were 1.5 × 10–3 and 2.4 × 10–3 ppb, which are the lowest values so far reported to the best of our knowledge. The electrochemical impedance study predicted the increase of the charge transfer characteristics in the presence of AA, which comprehensively correlated with the CV data. The developed sensor can be used for the detection of melamine in milk, dairy products, and other food items.