Rapid, selective and sensitive detection of sunset yellow by a novel electrochemical sensor: The impact of europium oxide nanoparticles on a composite of yttrium oxide-carbon nanotubes

Sunset yellow, a widely used azo dye colorant added into food products, can adversely affect humans. Developing a rapid, simple and sensitive method of analysis of food products for the detection of sunset yellow is important in terms of determining the level of risk to human health and thus food safety. The aim of this study was to develop a novel voltammetric method for the accurate detection of sunset yellow content in a widely consumed beverage. This was achieved by modifying a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with a combination of europiumyttrium oxide (Eu2O3-Y2O3) nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The voltammetric and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) measurements showed that the proposed voltammetric platform (Eu2O3/Y2O3-CNTs/GCE) possessed high electrochemically active surface area and could serve as a promising sensing material. The proposed voltammetric platform exhibited excellent reproducibility, high selectivity and sensitivity for sunset yellow owing to the impact of Eu2O3 on a composite of Y2O3-CNTs. A dynamic working range and detection limit (LOD) for sunset yellow were found to be 4.0 x 10-9-1.3 x 10-6 M and 1.1 x 10-10 M, respectively. This novel method was successfully applied to determine sunset yellow in a nationwide consumed beverage. The results indicated that the proposed method of analysis offered a reliable and accurate determination of sunset yellow.