A Chemiluminescent Sensor for Sensitive Determination of Total Antioxidant Capacity in Commercial Products

Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) is essential for evaluating the quality and efficacy of commercial products like beverages and skincare items, yet current detection methods often lack simplicity, sensitivity, and reliability. Here, we developed a chemiluminescent sensor based on Chlorin e6 nanoparticles (Ce6 NPs) and Mn ⁷⁺ for rapid and straightforward TAC detection. The sensor, fabricated by self‐assembling Ce6 with amphiphilic surfactant DSPE‐mPEG followed by Mn ⁷⁺ incorporation, exhibited 34‐fold enhanced chemiluminescence compared to Ce6 NPs alone. The system showed high specificity for Mn ⁷⁺ , with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.93  μM. Mechanistic studies indicated that Mn ⁷⁺ generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), triggering Ce6 chemiluminescence. Taking advantage of the redox reaction between antioxidants and Mn ⁷⁺ , the sensor enabled sensitive quantification of glutathione and ascorbic acid, with LOD of 0.24 and 0.026 mM, respectively. The practical utility of the sensor was demonstrated by evaluating the TAC of five beverages and five skincare products, revealing significant differences among samples. Among beverages, beverage #5 showed the highest TAC; among skincare products, serum #5 exhibited superior antioxidant capacity. Overall, this Ce6 NPs–Mn ⁷⁺ chemiluminescence sensor offers key advantages—rapidity, simplicity, high sensitivity, and low cost—making it a promising tool for TAC assessment in commercial applications.