Analytical Sciences

Sensitive Detection of Caffeic Acid and Rutin via the Enhanced Anodic Electrochemiluminescence Signal of Luminol

Tianlai XIA,* Yuan GAO,*,** Ling ZHANG,*** Xinyu WANG,* Guangxing PAN,* Zhenyuan WANG,* Shuang HAN,** Xing MA,* Weiwei ZHAO,* and Jiaheng ZHANG*

*Flexible Printed Electronics Technology Center, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
**College of Applied Chemistry, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, Shenyang 110142, China
***School of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China

The electrooxidation of phenolic groups of caffeic acid and rutin promote anodic electrochemiluminescence (ECL) luminol substantially. A sensitive, and cost-effective ECL method has thus been developed to detect caffeic acid, ranging from 0.1 to 5.0 μM, with a detection limit of 0.1 μM and rutin ranging from 0.2 to 25 μM with a detection limit of 0.12 μM. Contrarily, phenolic compounds quench the weak cathodic ECL of luminol. Both of anodic and cathodic ECL mechanisms of luminol in the presence of phenolic compounds are analyzed. The method based on the boomed anodic ECL of luminol is comparable to those based on Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ and S₂O₈²⁻/O₂ systems. A lower onset potential and price than the other ECL reagents would realize its widely applications in the detection of phenolic compounds in food and medicine.

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