Sensitive dual-mode detection of carbendazim by molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor based on biomass-derived carbon-loaded gold nanoparticles.

A dual-mode electrochemical sensor was fabricated for carbendazim (CBD) detection. Biomass-derived carbon loaded gold nanoparticles (AuNPs/BC) were firstly coated on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), and then molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) of o-aminophenol was prepared on the resulting AuNPs/BC/GCE through electrochemical method in the presence of CBD. The AuNPs/BC had excellent conductivity, large surface and good electrocatalysis, while the imprinted film presented good recognition. Thus, the obtained MIP/AuNPs/BC/GCE exhibited sensitive current response to CBD. Furthermore, the sensor displayed good impedance response to CBD. Hence, a dual-mode detection platform for CBD was established. Under optimum conditions, the linear response ranges were as wide as 1.0 nM - 15 μM (by differential pulse voltammetry, DPV) and 1.0 nM - 10 μM (by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, EIS), and the detection limits for these two methods were as low as 0.30 nM (S/N = 3) and 0.24 nM (S/N = 3), respectively. The sensor also had high selectivity, stability and reproducibility. The sensor was applied to detect CBD in spiked real samples, including cabbage, peach, apple and lake water, and the recoveries were 85.8-108% (by DPV) and 91.4-110% (by EIS); the relative standard deviations (RSD) were 3.4-5.3% (by DPV) and 3.7-5.1% (by EIS), respectively. The results were consistent with that obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography. Therefore, this sensor is a simple and effective tool for CBD detection, and it has good application potential.