Seeing diabetes: visual detection of glucose based on the intrinsic peroxidase-like activity of MoS2 nanosheets

Abstract

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has attracted increasing research interest recently due to its unique physical, optical and electrical properties, correlated with its 2D ultrathin atomic-layered structure. Until now, however, great efforts have focused on its applications such as lithium ion batteries, transistors, and hydrogen evolution reactions. Herein, for the first time, MoS₂ nanosheets are discovered to possess an intrinsic peroxidase-like activity and can catalytically oxidize 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by H₂O₂ to produce a color reaction. The catalytic activity follows the typical Michaelis–Menten kinetics and is dependent on temperature, pH, H₂O₂ concentration, and reaction time. Based on this finding, a highly sensitive and selective colorimetric method for H₂O₂ and glucose detection is developed and applied to detect glucose in serum samples. Moreover, a simple, inexpensive, instrument-free and portable test kit for the visual detection of glucose in normal and diabetic serum samples is constructed by utilizing agarose hydrogel as a visual detection platform.