Multivariate nanocomposites for electrochemical sensing in the application of food

doi:10.1016/j.trac.2019.07.010

TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry

Volume 118, September 2019, Pages 759-769

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2019.07.010 Get rights and content

Highlights

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This review proposes three classes and various subtypes of multivariate nanocomposites for electrochemical sensing.
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This review puts great emphasis on the synergistic effects and interactions of nanocomposites.
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The improved sensing performance for food analysis are presented.

Abstract

Nanocomposite, which is superior to single nanomaterial, has become an excellent modification material for electrochemical sensing. The nanocomposites are divided into three classes namely binary nanocomposite, ternary nanocomposite and multiple nanocomposite. In this review, the constitute and principle of nanocomposites are summarized, and various subtypes of three classes are proposed. The multiple synergistic effects, properties and interactions of nanocomposites are highlighted for the improved performance in the application of food analysis. The future perspectives for multivariate nanocomposites used on food sensors are discussed.

Introduction

In recent years, nanotechnology has developed rapidly and a large number of nanomaterials have sprung up [1], [2]. The introduction of nanomaterials into the field of electrochemical sensing has greatly promoted the development of electrochemical sensors and biosensors [3], [4], [5]. However, a single nanomaterial cannot meet all the needs of electrochemical detection, and there are certain defects [6], for instance, the dispersion difficulty and easy reunion of metal nanoparticles in the polymer, the adhesion of carbon nanotubes, the curling and stacking of graphene lamellae, the agglomeration of quantum dots. Thus, the nanomaterials are usually functionalized or combined with other inorganic and organic functional materials/nanomaterials to form the nanocomposite for practical applications. In order to produce a new high-level functional material, the nanocomposite that contains at least one kind of nanomaterial involves not only the property of single component material, but also the cooperative effects among the nanostructures and the macroscopic properties of their organized states [7].

As one of the most promising materials in the world, nanocomposite is highly concerned and studied by researchers all over the world. Zhang et al. [8] summarized recent researches on graphene-based artificial nacre nanocomposites and discussed novel assembly strategies of graphene-based artificial nacre nanocomposites with different interface design. Interface interactions and building blocks for constructing high performance nanocomposites were mainly discussed, and the applications to electrical and energy devices were reviewed. Sun et al. [9] surveyed the latest graphene oxide-based macroscopic membranes which were classified into three typical forms, and multiple interactions among them. Zhang et al. [10] proposed novel materials and new properties of carbon materials. Additionally, representative examples of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite, graphene, carbon nanotubes and carbon-films were critically discussed for bioanalytical and environmental applications. Although there are many other reviews about nanocomposites [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], the synergetic classification of nanocomposite for electrochemical sensing towards food is a very limited topic.

The developed methods and instruments cannot fully meet the requirements for food detection. There are many kinds of food including grain, fruit, meat, vegetable, aquatic product and so on, which consist of organic components, complex matrix and many interferences. Generally, toxic residues, contaminants or trace functional substances in food are often determined, and the contents of these components are often very low. Not only qualitative detection but also precise quantitative detection for food are needed. The sensors modified with nanocomposites can be regarded as efficient technology for the determination of food.

In this review, the classes and the multiple synergistic effects of nanocomposites for sensor are present. And, the review focuses on the properties and mechanisms of multivariate nanocomposites and their applications on electrochemical sensing for food.

Section snippets

Constitute and principle of nanocomposite

Nanocomposite is composed of two or more materials including at least one kind of nanomaterial. It has been reported that the nano-phases with different physical and chemical properties can produce synergistic interaction under certain conditions, and the interactions of different phases affect the coupling of phases and thereby promote the synergistic effect of multiphase presenting some super normal properties [17]. The properties of multicomponent synergistic nanocomposite depend on the

Nano metal (oxide)-based

Gold nanoparticle (AuNP) combined with polymer was used to modify electrochemical sensor for the detection of industrial chemicals, antibiotic and preservative in food. Polyaniline, as one of the most common conductive polymers, has the advantages of chemical stability and reversibility of doping and dedoping. Suitable materials can be selected as templates to prepare different morphologies of polyaniline nanomaterials, and the morphology of polyaniline can be controlled through the oxidation

Mono-phase nanomaterial

Ternary nanocomposites with mono-phase nanomaterial i.e. metal nanoparticle or carbon nanotube have been used for the sensing of antioxidant components, industrial chemicals, fungicide and pathogenic bacteria. The functionalized AuNPs in composites [74] showed the desired electrocatalytic properties bound with the high surface-to-volume ratio for good measure ability to specific modified sensors toward organic acids and phenolic compounds. A composite consisting of ILs

Multiple nanocomposite for sensing

Multiple nanocomposite containing more than three nanomaterials has been available to be a sensing element in sensor for hydrogen peroxide, acrylamide, sunset yellow, melamine, thiamphenicol and propyl gallate. In the AuNPs/pATP-β-CD/rGO composite [96], the p-aminothiophenol (pATP) monomer penetrates into the hydrophobic cavity of β-CD to form inclusion complex (Fig. 5), causing the peaks of active hydrogen atoms. Although the above composite gained the largest loading amount of AuNPs at

The application for co-sensing food

Different food analyte can be co-sensed by certain types of nanocomposites including Nano metal (oxide)-based, Graphene-based and Nano metal (oxide)/Carbon nanotube. AuNP functionalized with p-aminothiophenol (p-ATP) electropolymerized on the electrode surface to obtain a polyaminothiophenol (PATP) coating was applied to be binary composite for two food safety items [105], [106]. For the detection of tetracycline, the signal of composite increased with the increase of target concentration due

Conclusions and perspectives

Materials for electrochemical sensing through the modification on sensors are used with the realization of low dimension, nanoscale and compound, and the introduction of nano-phase improves their mechanical and physical properties for food analysis, so the nanocomposites are indispensable for sensing the target analyte in food. Three classes of nanocomposites namely binary nanocomposite, ternary nanocomposite, multiple nanocomposite, and various subtypes are present for food analysis. The

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Special Fund of Chinese Central Government for Basic Scientific Research Operations in Commonweal Research Institutes (No. 2017RG006-1).

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Multivariate nanocomposites for electrochemical sensing in the application of food

Highlights

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Constitute and principle of nanocomposite

Nano metal (oxide)-based

Mono-phase nanomaterial

Multiple nanocomposite for sensing

The application for co-sensing food

Conclusions and perspectives

Acknowledgments

Talanta

Sens. Actuators B

Electrochim. Acta

Nano Today

Nano Today

Food Chem.

Nano Today

Nano Today

Nano Today

Biosens. Bioelectron.

Nano Today

Biosens. Bioelectron.

Talanta

Biosens. Bioelectron.

J. Electroanal. Chem.

Biosens. Bioelectron.

J. Food Drug Anal.

Anal. Chim. Acta

J. Colloid Interface Sci.

Anal. Chim. Acta

Food Chem.

Food Chem.

Electroanalysis

Food Chem.

Biosens. Bioelectron.

Sens. Actuators B

Int. J. Electrochem. Sci.

Sens. Actuators B

Food Chem.

Talanta

Biosens. Bioelectron.

Anal. Chim. Acta

Chem. Phys. Lett.

Biosens. Bioelectron.

Talanta

Sens. Actuators B

Biosens. Bioelectron.

Food Chem.

Chem. Eng. J.

Anal. Chim. Acta

Food Control

Food Control

Food Chem.

Talanta

Talanta

Talanta

Sens. Actuators B

Int. J. Electrochem. Sci.

Food Chem.

J. Hazard Mater.