Electrochemical detection and quantification of gingerol species in ginger (Zingiber officinale) using multiwalled carbon nanotube modified electrodes.

We demonstrate the potential of electrochemical detection for the analysis of the 'strength' of ginger in ginger sample. This facile and fast detection method is aimed at the quality control in food industry. Specifically, we report adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdsSV) as a technique for detection of gingerol compounds, the pungent components of ginger rhizome. Among the gingerols, 6-gingerol is the most abundant and is chosen as a model to characterise the behaviour of a wider range of related compounds. Multiwalled carbon nanotube modified basal plane pyrolytic graphite electrodes (MWCNT-BPPG electrode) are employed to enhance the sensitivity of the measurement. A linearity range from 1 μM to 50 μM with limit of detection of 0.21 μM and limit of quantification of 0.71 μM is obtained. Further, the simple and rapid extraction procedure by simply vortexing the ginger sample with ethanol is developed for extraction of gingerol related species.