journal article·2025-08-29Open access

Electrochemical sensor for luteolin detection

Guosheng Liang, Yan Xiao, Qiaoling Jing, Tingfan Tang, Jun Feng, Hao Cheng

NPG Asia Materials· Volume 17· Issue 1

Abstract

This study developed an electrochemical sensor based on a nitrogen-doped hollow carbon sphere @ZIF-8 composite material (NC@ZIF-8), designed to efficiently detect the natural flavonoid luteolin. The composite material combines the high conductivity of hollow carbon spheres with the large specific surface area of ZIF-8. By optimizing the synthesis process and electrode modification conditions, the sensitivity and selectivity of the sensor were significantly enhanced. Experimental results show that the sensor exhibits excellent detection performance over a wide linear range (0.05–30 μM), with a detection limit as low as 0.011 μM. It also demonstrates good interference resistance and stability. The recovery rates for actual samples (Honeysuckle extract and watermelon juice) ranged from 95.41% to 101.20%, confirming its practical value in food safety and drug analysis. Luteolin is a natural compound found in many plants and fruits, known for its health benefits. Researchers developed a new, simpler method using electrochemical sensors made from special materials called NC@ZIF-8 composites. These materials combine nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres with ZIF-8, a type of metal-organic framework (MOF) known for its unique properties like high surface area and conductivity. The team synthesized these materials and used them to create sensors that can quickly and accurately detect luteolin. They tested the sensors’ performance using various techniques and optimized conditions to ensure reliability. The sensors showed excellent results in detecting luteolin even in the presence of other substances, proving their effectiveness. The study concludes that these new sensors are a promising tool for detecting luteolin in real-world samples like honeysuckle extract and watermelon juice. This summary was initially drafted using artificial intelligence, then revised and fact-checked by the author. This study developed an electrochemical sensor based on a nitrogen-doped hollow carbon sphere @ZIF-8 composite material (NC@ZIF-8), designed to efficiently detect the natural flavonoid luteolin. The composite material combines the high conductivity of hollow carbon spheres with the large specific surface area of ZIF-8. By optimizing the synthesis process and electrode modification conditions, the sensitivity and selectivity of the sensor were significantly enhanced. Experimental results show that the sensor exhibits excellent detection performance over a wide linear range (0.05–30 μM), with a detection limit as low as 0.011 μM. It also demonstrates good interference resistance and stability. The recovery rates for actual samples (Honeysuckle extract and watermelon juice) ranged from 95.41% to 101.20%, confirming its practical value in food safety and drug analysis.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Chemical Sensor Technologies · Analytical Chemistry and Sensors · Gas Sensing Nanomaterials and Sensors

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

References (25)

Show source-provided references
1. Zhang, L. et al. Rapid quantitative detection of luteolin using an electrochemical sensor based on electrospinning of carbon nanofibers doped with single-walled carbon nanoangles. Anal. Methods 15, 3073–3083 (2023).10.1039/D3AY00497J ↗
2. Richard, S. et al. Solubility of luteolin and other polyphenolic compounds in water, nonpolar, 401 polar aprotic and protic solvents by applying FTIR/HPLC. Processes 9, 402 (2021).10.3390/pr9020402 ↗
3. Skoko, S., Ambrosetti, M., Giovannini, T. & Cappelli, C. Simulating absorption spectra of flavonoids in aqueous solution: a polarizable QM/MM study. Molecules 25, 5853 (2020).10.3390/molecules25245853 ↗
4. Wang, S.-P. & Huang, K.-J. Determination of flavonoids by high-performance liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis. J. Chromatogr. A 1032, 273–279 (2004).10.1016/j.chroma.2003.11.099 ↗
5. Gao, F. et al. NiO@Ni-MOF nanoarrays modified Ti mesh as an ultrasensitive electrochemical sensing platform for luteolin detection. Talanta 215, 120891 (2020).10.1016/j.talanta.2020.120891 ↗
6. Zhang, Y. et al. Luminescent sensors based on metal-organic frameworks. Coord. Chem. Rev. 354, 28–45 (2018).10.1016/j.ccr.2017.06.007 ↗
7. Li, Y. et al. Bimetallic PdCu anchored to 3D flower-like carbon material for portable and efficient detection of glyphosate. J. Hazard. Mater. 480, 135786 (2024).10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135786 ↗
8. Dai, H. et al. Recent advances on ZIF-8 composites for adsorption and photocatalytic wastewater pollutant removal: fabrication, applications and perspective. Coordination Chem. Rev. 441, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2021.213985 (2021).10.1016/j.ccr.2021.213985 ↗
9. Li, J. et al. Ultrasensitive electrochemical sensor for fenitrothion based on MIL-125 derived iron/titanium bimetallic oxides doped porous carbon composite. Microchem. J. 200, 110426 (2024).10.1016/j.microc.2024.110426 ↗
10. Liu, C. et al. Controllable synthesis of N-doped hollow-structured mesoporous carbon spheres by an amine-induced Stöber-silica/carbon assembly process. J. Mater. Chem. A 4, 11916–11923 (2016).10.1039/C6TA03748H ↗
11. Zheng, G. et al. Shape control in ZIF-8 nanocrystals and metal nanoparticles@ZIF-8 heterostructures. Nanoscale 9, 16645–16651 (2017).10.1039/C7NR03739B ↗
12. Seoane, B., Zamaro, J. M., Tellez, C., Coronas, J. Sonocrystallization of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF-7, ZIF-8, ZIF-11, and ZIF-20). CrystEngComm, 14, https://doi.org/10.1039/c2ce06382d (2012).10.1039/c2ce06382d ↗
13. Jin, Y. -f. et al. A sensitive electrochemical sensor based on ZIF-8–acetylene black–chitosan nanocomposites for rutin detection. RSC Adv. 8, 32740–32746 (2018).10.1039/C8RA06452K ↗
14. Lakshmanakumar, M. et al. Fabrication of GQD-electrodeposited screen-printed carbon electrodes for the detection of the CRP biomarker. ACS Omega 6, 32528–32536 (2021).10.1021/acsomega.1c04043 ↗
15. Wang, C. et al. Efficient removal of uranium(VI) from aqueous solutions by triethylenetetramine-functionalized single-walled carbon nanohorns. ACS Omega 5, 27789–27799 (2020).10.1021/acsomega.0c02715 ↗
16. Dutta, K. et al. Development of an efficient immunosensing platform by exploring single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWCNHs) and nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dot (N-GQD) nanocomposite for early detection of cancer biomarker. ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng. 7, 5541–5554 (2021).10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00753 ↗
17. Baldovino-Medrano, V. G., Niño-Celis, V. & Isaacs Giraldo, R. Systematic analysis of the nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms recorded for a series of materials based on microporous–mesoporous amorphous aluminosilicates using classical methods. J. Chem. Eng. Data 68, 2512–2528 (2023).10.1021/acs.jced.3c00257 ↗
18. Kumar, A. et al. Amperometric microsensor based on nanoporous gold for ascorbic acid detection in highly acidic biological extracts. Anal. Chim. Acta 1095, 61–70 (2020).10.1016/j.aca.2019.10.022 ↗
19. Xie, Y., Zhang, T., Chen, Y., Wang, Y. & Wang, L. Fabrication of core-shell magnetic covalent organic frameworks composites and their application for highly sensitive detection of luteolin. Talanta 213, 120843 (2020).10.1016/j.talanta.2020.120843 ↗
20. Supchocksoonthorn, P., Alvior Sinoy, M. C., deLuna, M. D. G. & Paoprasert, P. Facile fabrication of 17β-estradiol electrochemical sensor using polyaniline/carbon dot-coated glassy carbon electrode with synergistically enhanced electrochemical stability. Talanta 235, 122782 (2021).10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122782 ↗
21. Cheng, H. et al. Facile synthesis of Co9S8 nanocages as an electrochemical sensor for luteolin detection. J. Electrochem. Soc. 168, https://doi.org/10.1149/19457111/ac1813 (2021).10.1149/19457111/ac1813 ↗
22. Li, Y. et al. An ultrasensitive dietary caffeic acid electrochemical sensor based on Pd-Ru bimetal catalyst doped nano sponge-like carbon. Food Chem. 425, 136484 (2023).10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136484 ↗
23. Li, Y. et al. Ultrasensitive luteolin electrochemical sensor based on novel lamellar CuZn@ nitrogen-containing carbon nanosheets. Nanomaterials 13, 171 (2022).10.3390/nano13010171 ↗
24. Li, J. et al. Detection of luteolin in food using a novel electrochemical sensor based on cobalt-doped microporous/mesoporous carbon encapsulated peanut-like FeOx composite. FoodChemistry 435, 137651 (2024).
25. Zhang, H., Xing, Z., Pan, M., Wang, H.-B. & Liu, Y.-M. Highly sensitive and selective electrochemical determination of 4-aminophenol based on flower-like Ag-Au nanocomposites modified glassy carbon electrode. J. Electrochem. Soc. 167, 12 (2020).10.1149/1945-7111/abae91 ↗