In　a　new　approach　based　on　a　two-step　procedure,　co-precipitation　method　followed　by　hydrothermal　treatment　in　a　microwave　field,　Zn-substituted　Fe3O4　nanoparticles　(ZnxFe3-xO4)　were　synthesized.　Results　of　XRD,　FT-IR　and　TEM　analysis　clearly　demonstrate　that　nanoparticles　were　single　phase,　crystallizing　in　the　spinel　structure　type　(S.G.　Fd　(3)　over　barm)　with　crystallite　size　in　the　range　of　2-20　nm,　which　strongly　depends　on　Zn　concentration.　The　produced　nanoparticles　were　used　for　fabrication　of　modified　carbon　paste　electrodes　as　a　novel　system　for　electrochemical　non-enzymatic　glucose　detection.　It　was　found　that　the　increase　of　zinc　concentration　up　to　the　value　of　x　=　0.56　(Zn0.56Fe2.44O4)　of　as-prepared　nanoparticles　was　followed　with　an　increase　of　a　performance　of　the　modified　carbon　paste　electrode　toward　glucose　detection.　Linear　working　range　from　0.1　to　2　mM　was　obtained　with　detection　limit　of　0.03　mM,　and　with　fast　response　time　(＜3　s).　Proposed　sensor　was　successfully　applied　for　the　determination　of　glucose　level　in　real　samples　with　satisfactory　recovery.　The　synthesized　zinc-ferrite　samples　were　also　tested　as　potential　heating　agents　in　magnetic　hyperthermia.　The　heating　ability　(SAR　value)　increases　with　x　value,　reaching　maximum　for　x　=　0.37.　This　is　correlated　with　changes　of　particle　size　and　magnetic　characteristics　which　strongly　depend　on　Zn　concentration.　(C)　2018　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.