High-performance NiFe₂O₄/poly-L-cysteine nanocomposite for efficient detection of heavy metals in food samples
Food Chemistry, vol.523, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 523
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.150141
- Journal Name: Food Chemistry
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, Compendex, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Engineering Source (EBSCO)
- Keywords: Analytical characterization, FAAS, Heavy metals, Milk samples, Nickel ferrite, Poly-L-cysteine, Solid-phase extraction
- Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4)-based poly-L-cysteine (PLC)-functionalized nanocomposite (NiFe2O4/PLC-NC) is a promising material for detecting toxic heavy metals (HMs), including Cd, Co, Ni, and Pb, in milk samples. In the current investigation, nickel ferrite nanoparticles (NiFe₂O₄-NPs) were synthesized via a sol-gel method and subsequently functionalized with PLC to obtain NiFe2O4/PLC-NC. The NiFe2O4/PLC-NC was characterized through various analytical techniques, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy, revealing its optimal structure and surface properties. The synthesized NiFe2O4/PLC-NC was employed as an adsorbent to detect HMs in milk samples using a solid-phase extraction-based flame atomic absorption spectrometry method. The experimental results indicated that the adsorption capacity of NiFe2O4/PLC-NC was significantly affected by pH, adsorbent dosage, sample volume, and eluent type. The developed NiFe2O4/PLC-NC-based SPE method exhibited excellent sensitivity and accuracy, with detection limits of 0.0101 μg L−1 for Cd, 0.0236 μg L−1 for Co, 0.0350 μg L−1 for Ni, and 0.0051 μg L−1 for Pb. The NiFe2O4/PLC-NC-based SPE method was validated using certified reference material and real milk samples, demonstrating high analytical accuracy with recoveries exceeding 90% and relative standard deviations below 3.0%. These results confirm that the developed sorbent provides a reliable and efficient platform for the simultaneous determination of HMs in milk samples.