Abstract: Nitrofurantoin (NFT) is a nitrofuran antibiotic with potential carcinogenicity and genotoxicity. Therefore, analysis of NFT residues in food and the environment is crucial. In this study, oxidation-engineered Ti3C2Tx MXene (O-TC) was combined with holey graphene oxide (hGO) to prepare an O-TC/hGO nanocomposite, which was then used to modify the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to construct a highly sensitive electrochemical sensor (O-TC/hGO/GCE). The composite effectively inhibited the interlayer stacking of MXene, increased the specific surface area and electron transfer efficiency, and enhanced the electrocatalytic reduction performance toward NFT. Under optimized conditions, the sensor exhibited a linear detection range for NFT from 0.03 to 150 μmol/L, with a low limit of detection of 1.2 nmol/L and a sensitivity of 51.8 μA·L/(μmol·cm2). It also demonstrated good selectivity, reproducibility, and stability. The recoveries for spiked real samples (pork, beef, and mutton) ranged from 99.20% to 103.50%, indicating that this method was suitable for rapid and accurate detection of NFT in complex matrices. This study provides a new approach for the application of MXene-based composites in electrochemical sensing and offers an effective means for detecting trace antibiotics in food safety and environmental monitoring.

Key words: oxidation-engineered Ti3C2Tx MXene; holey graphene oxide; composite materials; adsorption; electrochemistry; detection; nitrofurantoin