A novel molecular imprinted QCM sensor based on MoS2NPs-MWCNT nanocomposite for zearalenone determination

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a mycotoxin that has a carcinogenic effect and is often found at a high rate in frequently consumed foods. In this study, a characteristic molecular imprinted quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor based on molybdenum disulfide nanoparticle (MoS2NPs)-multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposite (MoS2NPs-MWCNTs) is presented for selective determination of ZEA in rice samples. Firstly, molybdenum disulfide nanoparticle (MoS2NP)-multiwalled carbon nanotube nanocomposites were characterized by using microscopic, spectroscopic, and electrochemical techniques. Then, ZEA-imprinted QCM chip was prepared in the presence of methacryloylamidoglutamicacid (MAGA) as monomer, N,N'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator, and ZEA as target molecule by using UV polymerization. The sensor revealed a linearity toward ZEA in the range 1.0-10.0 ng L-1 with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.30 ng L-1. The high repeatability, reusability, selectivity, and stability of the developed sensor enable reliable ZEA detection in rice samples.