UV-Light-Driven Enhancement of Peroxidase-Like Activity of Mg-Aminoclay-Based Fe3O4/TiO2 Hybrids for Colorimetric Detection of Phenolic Compounds

• Published in: Chemosensors Vol. 9; no. 8; p. 219
• Main Authors: Jang, Yoon Jung, Bui, Vu Khac Hoang, Nguyen, Phuong Thy, Lee, Young-Chul, Kim, Moon Il
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.08.2021
• Subjects: aminoclay; Catalytic activity; Catechol; colorimetric detection; Colorimetry; Drinking water; Electron transfer; Enzymes; Ethanol; Hybrids; Hydrogen peroxide; Iron oxides; Light; Light irradiation; light-activated nanozymes; Luminous intensity; Microscopy; Nanoparticles; Oxidants; Oxidation; Oxidizing agents; Oxygen; Peroxidase; peroxidase-like activity; Phenolic compounds; Phenols; Resorcinol; Sodium; Substrates; Sulfonic acid; Synergistic effect; Thiazoline; Titanium dioxide; Ultraviolet radiation; United States > US; Japan
• ISSN: 2227-9040; 2227-9040
• DOI: 10.3390/chemosensors9080219

Light-activated nanozymes possess several advantages, such as light-mediated activity regulation, utilization of molecular oxygen as a green oxidant, and highly enhanced activity; however, the types of light-activated nanozymes are still limited. In this study, we found that Mg aminoclay-based Fe3O4/TiO2 hybrids (MgAC-Fe3O4/TiO2) exhibited peroxidase-like catalytic activity to catalyze the oxidation of the peroxidase substrate 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) in the presence of H2O2, which was significantly enhanced under ultraviolet (UV)-light irradiation. Compared with MgAC-Fe3O4 and MgAC-TiO2, MgAC-Fe3O4/TiO2 showed around three-fold enhancement in the absorption intensity corresponding to the oxidized ABTS under UV-light irradiation, presumably due to the synergistic effect between Fe3O4 and TiO2, thereby facilitating photocatalytic electron transfer during the catalytic action. In addition, the MgAC-Fe3O4/TiO2 showed vivid stability enhancement in wide range of pH and temperature values compared with natural peroxidase. The UV-light-driven MgAC-Fe3O4/TiO2-based system was successfully applied for the colorimetric detection of phenolic compounds, including pyrocatechol and resorcinol, in a dynamic linear range of 0.15–1.30 mg/mL with a limit of detection as low as 0.1 mg/mL. Further, the system could successfully determine the phenolic compounds in spiked tap water, and thus, it can be used for practical applications. We believe that the UV-light-driven enhancement in the peroxidase-like catalytic performances highlights the potential of MgAC-Fe3O4/TiO2 for detecting phenolic compounds as well as other clinically and environmentally important substances.