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A new electrochemical method for the detection of quercetin in onion, honey and green tea using Co3O4 modified GCE

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Abstract

Quercetin (Qu) is a most active biological flavonoid and it has a very wide spectrum of potential applications. Herein, we have synthesized ionic liquid assisted Co3O4 nanostructures through an aqueous chemical growth method and fabricated a Co3O4 modified GCE as an electrochemical sensor for the sensitive detection and determination of Qu. The proposed electrochemical sensor was not only prepared with a very easy, simple and cheap method but it was also found to be very selective, sensitive and highly stable for the detection of Qu in standard solutions as well as in real food samples like onion, honey and green tea. The prepared electrochemical sensor has shown an excellent electrochemical response for Qu with a wide range of detection from 0.01 to 3 µM. The oxidation current response of Qu on Co3O4 modified GCE was found 4 times higher than the response of bare GCE which is due to the high conductivity, tremendous catalytic ability and large surface area of Co3O4 nanostructures. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) for Co3O4/GCE sensor was calculated and found to be 0.0002 µM and 0.0007 µM respectively. While, the amount of Qu in real samples was found to be 5.367 µg/mL in honey, 15.58 µg/g in onion and 3.473 mg/g in green tea respectively. In comparison to the previously reported sensors, the prepared Co3O4/GCE sensor has shown a higher electrocatalytic capability, remarkable stability, super sensitivity and adequate selectivity for the determination of Qu in standard solutions as well as in real samples.

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Funding

The authors are highly thankful to the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan for providing funds under the project “6714/Sindh/NRPU/R&D/HEC/HEC/2015”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Sindh, 76080, Pakistan

    Nadir H. Khand, Amber R. Solangi & Jamil A. Buledi

  2. College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing, 210037, People’s Republic of China

    Yasin Orooji

  3. Department of Chemistry, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sindh, 67450, Pakistan

    Sidra Ameen

  4. Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Sindh, Hyderabad, 71000, Pakistan

    Almas Fatima

  5. M.A. Kazi Institute of Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Sindh, 76080, Pakistan

    Arfana Mallah & Saima Q. Memon

  6. Sen Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Dumlupinar University, 43100, Kutahya, Turkey

    Fatih Sen

  7. Department of Chemical Engineering, Quchan University of Technology, Quchan, Iran

    Fatemeh Karimi

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  1. Nadir H. Khand
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  2. Amber R. Solangi
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  8. Fatih Sen
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Correspondence to Amber R. Solangi, Fatih Sen, Fatemeh Karimi or Yasin Orooji.

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Khand, N.H., Solangi, A.R., Ameen, S. et al. A new electrochemical method for the detection of quercetin in onion, honey and green tea using Co3O4 modified GCE. Food Measure 15, 3720–3730 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-021-00956-0

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