Electroanalytical determination of Allura Red in beverage samples using an anodically pretreated graphite electrode

Abstract

In this study, an anodically pretreated pencil graphite electrode (Ptre/PGE) which has oxygen-containing groups was used for the electrochemical determination of Allura Red (AR) by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method for the first time in the literature. In order to be more selective and sensitive the pencil graphite electrode, the anodic pretreatment process was performed by applying a constant +1.8 V potential for 250 s in pH 9 phosphate buffer solution using chronoamperometry method. The characterisation studies of the sensor were performed using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods. Interference effects of sunset yellow, tartrazine, amaranth, aspartame, glucose, gelatin, and ascorbic acid on AR determination with Ptre/PGE were investigated. The limit of detection and quantitation values was found as 75 and 251 nmol L−1, respectively. The Ptre/PGE has been used for the determination of AR in cherry juice and energy drink samples, where it provides recovery ranging from 98.40% to 100.8%.