Recent advances in MXene nanozymes-based optical and electrochemical biosensors for food safety analysis

Abstract

The importance of nanotechnology is increasing every day in different fields and, especially, the application of nanomaterials has attracted considerable attention in food safety. Among different nanomaterials, MXene, which is a two-dimensional (2D) transition metal-based layered material made of nitrides and carbides, has revolutionized various fields as one of cutting-edge scientific discoveries in nanotechnology. These materials have widely used in the structure of biosensors and sensors due to their excellent metallic conductivity, mechanical stability, optical absorbance, good redox capability, and higher heterogeneous electron transfer rate. Particularly, the application of MXene as a nanozyme has highlighted their high performance more and more in biosensors domains. The growing attention of these nanozymes is attributed to their specific physicochemical features. The oxidase peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase are the most important enzymatic properties of these materials. In this review, initially, several common synthesis methods of MXene are presented, emphasizing their significant role as nanozymes in constructing efficient sensors. Subsequently, several common applications of MXenes nanozyme in food safety analysis are delved into, including bacteria, mycotoxins, antibiotics residues, and pesticide residues detection, discussing their applications in different electrochemical and optical biosensors. In addition, the gap, limitation, and future perspective of these novel nanozymes in food safety are highlighted.