A multi-walled carbon nanotubes-based molecular imprinting electrochemical sensor for the detection of Aspartame in sports beverage

Aspartame, an artificial sweetener used extensively in foods and beverages, has raised health concerns due to its potential adverse effects. However, current analytical methods for detecting aspartame like HPLC and GC-MS are expensive, intricate, and unsuitable for on-site analysis. Therefore, the objective of this work is to develop a rapid, simple, sensitive, and selective electrochemical sensor for aspartame detection in real samples like sports drinks. The sensor is fabricated by combining molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). MIPs provide specificity towards aspartame via tailored binding sites, while MWCNTs enable sensitive electrochemical transduction. Characterization confirms successful preparation of the MIP-MWCNT sensor. The sensor exhibits a linear detection range of 8 nM to 6 mu M aspartame with a 22 nM limit of detection. Practical application is demonstrated by accurate quantification of aspartame in spiked sports drink samples. The sensor provides a cost-effective and portable solution for rapid aspartame screening in complex matrices. In summary, this work aims to create an electrochemical molecularly imprinted sensor leveraging MIPs for selectivity and MWCNTs for sensitivity in order to achieve simple, rapid, and reliable detection of aspartame.