Rapid determination of banned Sudan I in foodstuffs using a mesoporous SiO2 modified electrode.

Rapid determination of Sudan I in foodstuffs is very important because it was found to be a carcinogen and its use in the food industry was banned. A rapid, sensitive, and convenient electrochemical method was developed for the determination of Sudan I based on the distinctive properties of mesoporous SiO2. The electrochemical responses of Sudan I were investigated. A sensitive oxidation peak was observed for Sudan I, and the peak currents greatly increased at the mesoporous SiO2-modified electrode, which can be attributed to its large surface area and high accumulation efficiency. The effects of pH, amount of mesoporous SiO2, scan rate, accumulation potential, and time were examined on the oxidation signals of Sudan I. The linear range was from 4.00 x 10(-8) to 2.00 x 10(-5) M, and the LOD was 7.50 x 10(-9) M. The newly developed method was successfully used to detect and quantify Sudan I in hot chili powder and juice samples.