A novel sensing platform based on a core–shell Fe@Fe 3 C–C nanocomposite for ultrasensitive determination of vanillin

A simple, rapid and ultrasensitive electrochemical sensing platform has been successfully constructed for vanillin determination. The core–shell structured Fe@Fe3C–C nanocomposite, prepared by adopting α-FeOOH nanorods as the Fe precursor, glucose as the reducing agent and carbon source, urea as the chelating and dispersing agent, and LiFePO4 as an intermediate and/or catalyst, was used for vanillin determination for the first time, and exhibited high sensitivity and good reproducibility. A wide linear range from 10.0 nM to 50.0 μM with a good linear correlation (R = 0.994) was obtained, and the limit of detection was 2.36 nM (S/N = 3). In addition, the practical analytical application of the sensing method was assessed by determination of vanillin in real food samples with satisfactory results. Armed with the remarkable advantages, such as a green route to fabricate, low cost and fast response time, the novel method may hold great potential for the monitoring of abusive vanillin in foods.