Sensing of Harmful Dyes in Food Particles Using Nanomaterial-Based Electrochemical Analysis

Abstract

Azo-dyes, including Allura Red, Sunset Yellow (SY), Brilliant Blue, and Tartrazine (Tz), are commonly utilized as food coloring additives because of their affordability and durability. The dyes SY and Tz are widely employed within this dye group because of their comparable hues and frequent co-application in food items. Despite their beneficial industrial applications, these substances include a toxicity profile that poses risks, including the potential for undesirable consequences such as allergies, asthma, cancer, DNA damage, cytotoxicity, and nervousness. In light of these factors, employing susceptible, cost-effective, straightforward, and expeditious sensors to examine azo-hazardous dyes is imperative. Electrochemical nanosensors (ENS), which integrate the distinctive characteristics of electrochemistry with nanotechnology, are very advantageous devices that find extensive application in analyzing azo dyes. In this paper, the exterior of a Glassy Carbon Electrode (GCE) has been subjected to modification by the incorporation of calixarene (Cx) and gold nanoparticles (AuNP) to facilitate the improvement and integration of electrochemistry with nanotechnology. The sensing capability of the Modified GCE (MGCE) nanosensor with Cx and AuNP has been evaluated by the utilization of Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) techniques. The study aimed to examine the impact of various factors to determine the optimal circumstances for obtaining the most favorable reaction from the target analytical substances. The signals of the chosen food dyes have been significantly improved when using the MGCE nanocomposite, which is attributed to the synergistic interaction between Cx and AuNP compared to the unmodified GCE. The sensor platform that was built also showed notable performance characteristics when utilized to detect food colors in food samples. Furthermore, the observed high percentage of recovery, consistent repeatability, and durability indicate the potential use of the developed electrochemical platform to examine actual samples.