Nanoengineered lanthanum niobate nanocaviar anchored carbon nanofibers for trace level detection of menadione in environmental samples

An innovative sensor is prepared by electrode modification through a nano-ranged electrode modifier composed of LaNbO4 nano caviars decorated on the enmeshed carbon nanofibers to identify excess vitamins in animal feed. Menadione (Vitamins K3) is a micronutrient fundamentally required in precise quantities for animal health upkeep. Still, its exploitation has recently resulted in water reservoir contamination through waste generated from animal husbandry. Sustainable prevention of water contamination makes menadione detection highly imperative and flickered the attention of researchers. Considering these aspects, a novel menadione sensing platform is designed by interdisciplinary incorporation of nanoscience and electrochemical engineering. The structural and crystallographic features and the electrode modifier's morphological insights were keenly investigated. The hierarchal arrangement of individual constituents in nanocomposite is benefited through hybrid heterojunction and quantum confinement that synchronously activate the menadione detection with a LOD of 68.5 nM and 67.49 nM for oxidation and reduction, respectively. The as-prepared sensor has a wide linear range (0.1–173.6 μM), high sensitivity, good selectivity, and stability. The application of this sensor is extended to a water sample to monitor the consistency of the proposed sensor. [Display omitted] •Nanoengineering of electrode material using LaNbO4 decorated on carbon nanofibers.•Electrochemical optimization of LaNbO4/f-CNF/GCE for nanoscale detection of menadione.•DPV inferred with lower LOD as 68.5 nM and 67.49 nM for oxidation and reduction respectively.•The vivid viability of the fabricated sensor in the water samples.