Mixed-solvent liquid exfoliated MoS(2) NPs as peroxidase mimetics for colorimetric detection of H(2)O(2) and glucose

Ultra-small molybdenum disulfide nanoparticles (MoS(2) NPs) were prepared by a facile liquid exfoliation method with ethanol/water as the solvent. The produced MoS(2) NPs were of high purity due to the easily removable ethanol/water solution. The prepared MoS(2) NPs exhibited an intrinsic peroxidase-like activity in analogy to that of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). A custom-made spectrometer was employed to investigate the peroxidase-like activity of MoS(2) NPs in the presence of H(2)O(2) and glucose. The change in absorption detected from MoS(2) NPs is proportional to the amount of target. The calibration curve of H(2)O(2) and glucose shows a good relationship between the concentration of target and the change in the absorption of MoS(2) NPs. The limit of detection of H(2)O(2) and glucose achieved by this method could approach 1.25 μM and 7 μM respectively. This method has been applied for the detection of glucose in serum from humans. Therefore, these produced MoS(2) NPs offer an alternative high-efficiency and economic way to detect diabetes.