Development of Ag/cerium iron oxide nanostructured electrode material: an efficient electrochemical detection of tert-butylhydroquinone in food products

Abstract

The precise detection of the cytotoxic food preservative tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), a phenolic antioxidant commonly used in edible oils and potato chips, is reported here. Excessive levels of TBHQ can compromise food quality and pose significant health risks, including carcinogenicity. Therefore, ensuring food safety necessitates a highly sensitive and accurate analytical method for its rapid detection. In this study, we report the fabrication of a highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for the nanomolar-level detection of TBHQ in widely consumed food products such as groundnut oil and potato chips. A novel silver-doped cerium iron oxide (ACFO) nanostructure was synthesized via a hydrothermal approach and employed for electrochemical TBHQ sensing. Comprehensive physicochemical characterizations of ACFO were performed using FESEM, XRD, TEM, and EIS to confirm its structural and morphological properties. An ACFO-modified electrode exhibited remarkable electrocatalytic activity toward TBHQ detection, achieving an ultralow detection limit of 32 nM. Furthermore, the sensor demonstrated excellent selectivity, reproducibility, and long-term stability. Its practical applicability was validated by quantifying TBHQ in real food samples, yielding satisfactory recovery rates. These findings underscore the potential of ACFO-based nanostructures as a reliable and efficient platform for TBHQ detection, contributing to advancements in food safety monitoring.