Monitoring diclofenac levels in food through amperometric biosensor regulation
In a recent study published in the Journal of Analytical Chemistry, researchers have developed four types of amperometric biosensors for determining the presence of Diclofenac, a widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
The study does not provide specific information about the manufacturers of NSAIDs, but it emphasizes the importance of monitoring Diclofenac in food products, particularly dairy, meat, and processed goods. The presence of Diclofenac in baby food is unacceptable, and its content in food products is subject to strict control by the European Union.
The content of Diclofenac in food is regulated, with a maximum permitted concentration (MPC) for Diclofenac in milk set at 0.1 μg/l. The researchers found that Diclofenac was not detected in four studied milk samples with 1.5% fat content.
The paper describes four types of biosensors: planar platinum electrodes modified with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), fullerene C60 in Boltorn H20, gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in chitosan, and an immobilized tyrosinase enzyme. Diclofenac is a reversible tyrosinase inhibitor, allowing its determination using the developed biosensors in the concentration range from 10 pM to 1 μM.
Modification with composites of CNT / Au NPs and fullerene C60 / Au NPs improved the analytical characteristics of the developed biosensors, expanding the range of determined concentrations and reducing CH compared to the unmodified analogue. The developed tyrosinase biosensor modified with CNT/Au NPs is not inferior in its analytical capabilities to known analogs and, in some cases, even surpasses them, making it suitable for milk quality control.
To assess the accuracy of the results obtained for the determination of Diclofenac using the developed biosensors, the method of fluorescence polarization was used. The study does not mention any new kinetic studies of the reaction of enzymatic conversion of phenol, nor any new maximum permitted concentrations (MPC) for Diclofenac in any food products.
The researchers also highlight the importance of monitoring Diclofenac in seawater and wastewater, as information about its content in these environments has become increasingly common. Further improvement of biosensor devices with modern ideas about the role of the surface in the mechanism of analytical response is valuable for both solving specific problems and developing the theory of biosensorics in general.
The DOI for this article is 10.1134/S1061934821050075. This research provides a significant step towards ensuring the safety of food products and the environment by developing effective methods for monitoring the presence of Diclofenac.
