Reusable Sonogel-Carbon electrodes containing carbon black (SNGC-CB) have been used for the electrochemical analysis of caffeic acid (CA) in real matrices. Measurements were firstly performed in standard solutions, in which SNGC-CB electrodes allowed the electrochemical determination of CA with high sensitivity and low limit of detection, equal to 0.76 μM. The presence of CB nanostructures in the formulation led to improved performances with respect to pristine SNGC electrodes. Then, measurements were performed in four instant coffees of different brands. A comparison between the results obtained by electrochemical, chromatographic and spectroscopic methods showed that SBGC-CB electrodes represent a simple and economic tool for the rapid assessment of caffeic acid-related molecules in instant coffees.
Keywords: Sonogel–Carbon electrode; caffeic acid; carbon black; coffee; differential pulse voltammetry; electrochemical sensor; polyphenols.