Exploring the potential of iron-based metal–organic frameworks as peroxidase nanozymes for glucose detection with various secondary building units

Finding materials in biosensing that balance enzyme-like reactivity, stability, and affordability is essential for the future. Because of their unique peroxidase properties, including variable pore size, surface area, and Lewis acid active sites, iron-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have evolved as viable possibilities. In this study, we constructed a Fe-MOF and tested its peroxidase-like activity and responsiveness toward H2O2 colorimetric techniques. Using encapsulation, we incorporated glucose oxidase into the ZIF-90 PVP MOF and conducted a sequential reaction with the Fe-MOF to detect glucose. The results showed better peroxidase catalytic activity of the MIL-88B(Fe) (1,4-NDC) MOF and similar secondary building unit (SBU) Fe-MOFs were studied in other peroxidase nanozyme studies. When combined with an enzyme-encapsulating ZIF-90 PVP MOF, they could be sequentially employed for glucose detection purposes. This study highlights the potential of nanozymes as an alternative to natural enzymes, with promising applications in biosensing and beyond.