Electropolymerized melamine for simultaneous determination of nitrite and tartrazine

Poly(melamine) (PMel) was synthesized via the electropolymerization of melamine monomer, which was then characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The possible polymerization mechanisms of melamine were also revealed by FT-IR spectroscopy and UV–Vis spectroscopy. Next, the PMel modified GCE (PMel/GCE) was used for the simultaneous determination of nitrite (NO2−) and tartrazine, and the parameters were optimized. The kinetic study showed that the electrochemical oxidation of nitrite and tartrazine at the surface of PMel/GCE is a typical surface-controlled electrode process. Under the optimun conditions, the developed sensor outperformed those previously reported, and it also exhibited high selectivity and reproducibility. Finally, the PMel/GCE was used for the simultaneous determination of nitrite and tartrazine in foodstuffs, and the results indicated that the proposed sensor could be a promising candidate for accurate determination of nitrite and tartrazine in real food samples.