Electrochemical Detection of Nuciferine in the Lotus Leaf Based on Efficient Catalysis by Zirconium-MOFs

Nuciferine is an amorphine alkaloid in lotus leaf that has anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering and hypoglycemic effects, so the quantitation of detected nuciferine is important. An electrochemical method was developed for nuciferine detection based on efficient catalysis by Zr-MOFs (Metal-organic frameworks). In this work, the ratiometric electrochemical method was developed for nuciferine detection based on efficient catalysis by Zr-MOFs. UiO66 is a Zr-MOFs nanomaterial and can absorb methylene blue (MB) by electrostatic action to form UiO66-MB nanocomposite. The UiO66-MB nanocomposite can be used as an enhancer to catalyze nuciferine decomposition and a carrier to provide a two-dimensional environment for the reaction of nuciferine. Moreover, good catalytic properties of UiO66 were first time used for the detection of nuciferine. This method has a linear detection range from 0.1 to approximately 20 μg/mL, and a low detection limit of 0.03 μg/mL (S/N=3). The recovery was from 98.1 to 102% and the RSD was from 0.45 to 3.65%, indicating that the proposed method can be applied for the analysis of real samples. The proposed electrochemical method can be used to detect nuciferine in lotus leaves. The ratiometric electrochemical method was used for the detection of nuciferine. The MB can be used as an internal standard for anti-interference. And, UiO66 is used to catalyze the decomposition of nuciferine. Great catalytic properties of UiO66 were first time used for the detection of nuciferine.