Cerium-doped SnO₂ nanoparticles as an efficient electrochemical sensor for furazolidone detection in food and biological samples

Excessive utilization of antimicrobial agents in agricultural practices and food production results in detrimental impacts on both human wellness and environmental systems. Electrochemical detection devices serve as crucial instruments for monitoring the concentrations of these antimicrobial compounds. This research presents the fabrication of pristine and cerium-modified tin oxide nanomaterials using a straightforward co-precipitation technique for electrochemical detection purposes. The morphological and crystalline characteristics of the synthesized materials were investigated using XRD, SEM, XPS and FTIR. Among the tested compositions, tin oxide nanomaterials containing 1% cerium dopant demonstrated superior detection capabilities when compared to undoped samples and those containing 3% and 5% cerium concentrations, making it the optimal choice for cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry investigations conducted in acidic conditions (pH 2). Furthermore, the cerium-modified tin oxide detection system exhibited excellent reproducibility, long-term stability, consistent performance, and resistance to interfering substances. Practical validation was performed using authentic biological samples including human serum, honey, and poultry tissue extracts. The cerium-enhanced tin oxide sensing platform represents an economical, user-friendly, and highly sensitive solution for antimicrobial detection, contributing significantly to advancements in sensor technology development.