Construction of an electrochemical sensor with graphene aerogel doped with ZrO2 nanoparticles and chitosan for the selective detection of luteolin

A simple, fast and sensitive method for the detection of luteolin is proposed based on the chitosan/reduced graphene oxide aerogel with dispersed ZrO2 nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode (ZrO2/CS/rGOA-GCE) as an electrochemical sensor. The ZrO2/CS/rGOA composite was prepared by one pot synthesis from a mixture of GO, CS and zirconyl chloride octahydrate, and subsequently be freeze-dried. Scanning electron microscope images showed a typical thin, wrinkled and fluctuant morphology of graphene nanosheets and the polymerized CS and ZrO2 nanoparticles deposited on the surface of rGOA. Cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry were used to measure the electrochemical response of ZrO2/CS/rGOA composite-based biosensor towards luteolin at the working potential window (−0.8–0.8 V). The improved performance of this biosensor was attributed to efficient electron transfer and large surface area of 3D rGOA, and high specific activity of Zr towards adjacent hydroxyl groups. Under optimized conditions, the analytical performance of this method towards luteolin was investigated with a detection limit of 1 nM and a linear range from 5 nM to 1000 nM.. Finally, the ZrO2/CS/rGOA-GCE electrochemical method coupled with solid phase extraction was used for the detection of luteolin in real samples. Recoveries of  spiked samples with different concentrations were in the range 78.6–103.3% with a relative RSD lower than 12.0%.