Sensitive and fast analysis of terbutaline sulfate in food using a modified electrode based on a MoS2/AuNPs nanocomposite

Terbutaline sulfate (TBS) is a β2-adrenoceptor agonist, overdoses of which can cause serious harm and even be life-threatening to humans. Herein, we demonstrate a simple and facile method for the preparation of a molybdenum disulfide–gold nanoparticle composite (MoS2/AuNPs). The obtained MoS2 and MoS2/AuNPs were characterized and investigated by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. An MoS2/AuNPs-modified glassy carbon electrode (MoS2/AuNPs/GCE) was constructed using the dropping method and used to study the electrochemical behavior of TBS. The results indicated that the sensor had excellent electrocatalytic activity for TBS, with detection sensitivity for TBS more than 100 times higher compared with the bare GCE. With the successive addition of TBS, the peak current of the differential pulse stripping voltammogram (DPSV) of TBS was proportional to its concentration within a certain range, with a linear range of 1–85 nmol L−1 and limit of detection (LOD) of up to 0.47 nmol L−1. Furthermore, the modified electrode showed good stability, reproducibility, and anti-interference ability, meaning that it could be used to detect TBS in real samples.