A bio-analytic nanoplatform based on Au post-functionalized CeFeO3 for the simultaneous determination of melatonin and ascorbic acid through photo-assisted electrochemical technology

Both melatonin and ascorbic acid could perform an irreplaceable role in maintaining the ecological balance of the human body and fighting cardiovascular diseases. Herein, a dual-channel photo-assisted electrochemical sensor has been fabricated based on Au post-functionalized CeFeO3 nanospheres to simultaneously monitor melatonin and ascorbic acid for the first time. Briefly, CeFeO3 nanospheres are prepared through a hydrothermal and annealing process, and then the reduced Au nanoclusters are anchored on the surface of spheres to afford the CeFeO3@Au bi-nanospherical sensing probe. Impressively, the pre-fabricated sensor can produce a current signal 11% higher under light than that produced in a dark environment during the electrochemical measurements. Subsequently, the sensor fabricated by our strategy has achieved the simultaneous determination of melatonin and ascorbic acid with the wide detecting ranges of 1 nM-5 μM and 1 nM to 2 μM, and low detection limits of 0.8 nM and 0.4 nM by electrochemical measurements with the presence of the sunlight, and has shown satisfactory recoveries in the real sample measurements, demonstrating that the CeFeO3@Au bi-nanospherical sensing probe will be an auspicious candidate of advanced electrode material in photo-assisted electrochemical sensing applications.