MOF Based Electrochemical Sensor for the Detection of Antimicrobial Drug Residues in Food Stuff

Abstract

With the increasing unregulated use and toxicity of antimicrobials to public health and increase in bacterial resistance, it has become a major challenge to design a sensitive, rapid and cost effective technique to detect antimicrobials in food stuff. This research work describes the electrochemical detection of Metronidazole (MTZ) drug residues by using Silver Carbon dots embedded Cu-Gallic acid nanocomposite, coated at GCE (Ag/CDs@CuGA MOF/GCE). Pomegranate peels were used as a green and cost effective source to produce Carbon dots (CDs) and an aqueous oven assisted –solvothermal technique was chosen to fabricate the nanocomposite. Moreover, its crystal, elemental structure and morphological aspects were studied. The electrochemical properties of synthesized nanocomposite were analyzed to examine the nanocomposites sensitivity towards electro-catalytic determination of Metronidazole (MTZ). It was concluded that Silver Carbon dots embedded Cu-Gallic acid nanocomposite, coated at GCE (Ag/CDs@CuGA MOF/GCE) exhibits tremendous electro-catalytic properties toward Metronidazole (MTZ) reduction. A rapid, sensitive, reproducible and cost effective electrochemical sensor was developed which enables to sense the concentrations of drug at lower levels. The fabricated sensor had also shown good results even in real sample analysis (tetra pack milk and fresh milk).