Smartphone-assimilated colorimetric sensor for sub-nanomolar emamectin detection via KA30 capped silver nanoparticles in food, bio-fluids and water samples

• Published in: Food chemistry 2024-08, Vol.449, p.139256-139256, Article 139256
• Main Authors: Balouch, Aziz, Hussain, Kashif, Nafady, Ayman, Jabbar, Abdul, Rasheed, Sufian, Kanwal, Sumaira, Haider, Sadia, Soomro, Razium Ali, Sirajuddin, Shah, Muhammad Raza
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Calixarenes - chemistry; Colorimetric sensor; Colorimetry - methods; Emamectin; Food Contamination - analysis; Humans; Ivermectin - analogs & derivatives; Ivermectin - analysis; Ivermectin - chemistry; KA30; KA30-AgNPs; Limit of Detection; Metal Nanoparticles - chemistry; Real samples; Silver - chemistry; Smartphone; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139256

In this report, we firstly synthesized nitro calix [4] resorcinarene compound (referred as KA30) and characterized it though proton (1H) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and Fourier Transform Infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy. KA30 was applied as functionalizing agent for the formation of silver nanoparticles (KA30-AgNPs). These NPs were confirmed as highly selective and extremely sensitive colorimetric sensor for ultra-low level detection of emamectin (EMA) as a novel report. Significant aspect of the sensor is its unique detection range between 0.0005 and 29.5 μM via color change from yellow to colorless with hypochromic-bathochromic shift exhibiting limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) as 0.12 nM and 0.4 nM respectively. The sensor was applied to colorimetrically and optically detect EMA in real samples of serum, urine and food. The sensor was further allied with smartphone for real-time, and on-site detection of EMA and results were validated through UPLC. [Display omitted] •Nitro calix [4] resorcinarene (KA30) was synthesized via facile procedure.•KA30 was used as capping agent for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs).•These AgNPs were used as colorimetric sensor for low level detection of emamectin.•The colorimetric sensor was allied with smartphone for improved detection.•The sensor was used for emamectin detection in food, biofluids and water samples.