A sensitive and convenient electrochemical method was developed for the determination of Sudan I using a carbon nanotube-ionic liquid composite modified electrode with the enhancement effect of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). The modified electrode exhibited an obvious electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of Sudan I, and the oxidation peak current significantly increased in the presence of CTAB. The experimental parameters, such as solution pH, concentration of CTAB and accumulation time, were optimised for Sudan I determination. The oxidation peak current showed a linear relationship with the concentration of Sudan I in the range of 3.0 × 10(-8) to 3.1 × 10(-6) mol l(-1), with a detection limit of 8.0 × 10(-9) mol l(-1). The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of Sudan I in food products of ketchup and chilli sauce.
Keywords: Sudan I; carbon nanotube-ionic liquid composite; cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide; electrochemical determination.