The
detection of rosiglitazone (RSG) in food is of great importance
since the excessive intake of RSG could cause adverse effects on the
human body. Although liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry
and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry are the preliminary
methods for the detection of hazardous materials in food, they are
not suitable for point-of-care or on-site detection. Herein, a time-based
readout (TBR) device with an application software (APP) controlled
by a smart phone was developed for the sensitive and selective immunoassay
of RSG. The homemade TBR device was based on a two-electrode system,
where the immune molecule-modified glassy carbon electrode was used
as the bioanode, and Prussian blue-modified FTO was used as the cathode.
By using Au-modified octahedral Cu2O with high catalytic
activity as mimetic peroxidase, an insulating layer was generated
on the cathode by catalyzing 4-chloro-1-naphthol (4-CN) into benzo-4-chlorohexadienone
(B4Q). The time to reach a fixed potential varied indirectly with
the concentrations of RSG and was recognized by the APP, while the
electrochromic property on the cathode was also correspondingly changed.
Under optimum conditions, both the square root of the time and the
chroma value of the electrochromism exhibited linear responses for
the detection of RSG ranging from 5 × 10–10 to 5 × 10–7 g/L, while the limits of detection
were 8.2 × 10–11 and 1.3 × 10–10 g/L, respectively. With easy operation and portability, this TBR
device showed a promising application for point-of-care monitoring
of hazardous materials in food or the environment.