High-performance photoelectrochemical aptasensors with NiMoO4/MoS2/CdS ternary heterojunctions: ultrasensitive and selective quantification of zearalenone for food safety.

The mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEA) exhibits estrogenic activity, constituting a serious health hazard for both humans and animals. This work developing a novel photoelectrochemical sensor for the highly sensitive and selective detection of ZEA. The sensor was modified with the outstanding photoactive material NiMoO4/MoS2/CdS and the functional CoIn2S4@Au to enhance the specific recognition and signal response towards ZEA. The electron transfer mechanism within the photoelectric conversion process was deeply explored and its crucial role in detection was unveiled. Through the optimization of experimental conditions, encompassing light intensity, electrolyte concentration and electrode preparation technology, the performance of the sensor was significantly enhanced. The detection range extended from 1.0 pg/mL to 10 μg/mL, and the detection limit was as low as 0.81 pg/mL. The detection of ZEA in actual samples demonstrated excellent accuracy and repeatability, thereby offering a promising technical approach for the rapid detection of ZEA in the domain of food safety.