A novel and portable electrochemical sensor for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural detection using silver microdendrite electrodeposited paper-based electrode

A portable paper-based electrochemical sensor has been developed to determine 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF). A screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was facilely fabricated for the first time on poster paper which showed a very satisfactory electrochemical response. The analytical performance of the electrode was enhanced by electrochemical deposition of silver microdendrites (AgMDs). The cathodic peak of 5-HMF occurred at approximately -1.48 V, lower than that obtained from the bare poster-SPCE. Moreover, the modified electrode showed a higher current response than the bare electrode, revealing that the AgMDs not only exhibited highlighted electrocatalytic features but also improved the electrical conductivity and increased the electrode surface area. Afterward, some influencing conditions were optimized, including scan rate and the number of scan cycles for AgMD deposition, pH, temperature, and square wave voltammetric parameters. Under the optimal conditions, the analytical characteristics of the proposed sensor were evaluated. The cathodic peak current increased linearly according to 5-HMF concentration over the range of 3-100 ppm, and the detection limit was 1.0 ppm. This low-cost, disposable electrochemical sensor provided environmentally friendly, simple and rapid detection, acceptable precision, good stability, and high selectivity. Additionally, this method can be applied to quantify 5-HMF in honey samples with satisfying accuracy.