Fabrication of a carbon paste electrode based on a zirconium cobalt zinc nickel oxide nanocomposite for the voltammetric detection of rutoside.

Herein, the electrochemical investigation of rutoside (RU) using a creatine-functionalized zirconium cobalt zinc nickel oxide nanocomposite-based carbon paste electrode (CF-ZrCoZnNiONC-CPE) was carried out. The synthesis of ZrCoZnNiONC was performed using the combustion technique, and its characterisation was performed using different techniques for surface, morphological, crystal size, phase, and elemental composition analyses. The NCs were modified using amino acid-derived creatine to attain enhanced electrocatalytic behaviour towards proton and electron transfer, deprotonation, and a lower detection range. The electrochemical methods of CV (cyclic voltammetry), DPV (differential pulse voltammetry), and LSV (linear sweep voltammetry), and EIS (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) were conducted to achieve limits of detection of 4 nM, 2 nM, and 4 nM, respectively, and the selectivity, stability, sensitivity, repeatability, and reproducibility of CF-ZrCoZnNiONC-CPE towards RU detection were determined. The ability to detect the presence of rutoside in a lemon sample was considered for evaluating the practical applicability of CF-ZrCoZnNiONC-CPE in food products.