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Fe3O4 / lauric acid electrochemical sensor for rapid, selective and cost-effective microplastic detection in water
Summary
Scientists have created a cheap, fast sensor that can detect tiny amounts of microplastics in water using a special magnetic coating that grabs plastic particles like a magnet. This matters because microplastics are showing up everywhere in our water supply and body, but testing for them has typically been slow and expensive, this new tool could make it much easier to monitor drinking water safety and catch contamination early.
Microplastics(MPs) are a new class of persistent and recalcitrant pollutants that pose significant ecological and health threats, highlighting the critical need to develop efficient and straightforward detection techniques. In this study, an FeO@lauric acid (La)-modified electrode-based MP sensing platform was designed by combining the high-performance MP adsorption material FeO@La and electrochemical analysis. The FeO@La composite was synthesized using the liquid-phase deposition method from FeO and lauric acid to capture polystyrene (PS) MPs. Ferrocene (Fc) signal molecules were subsequently adsorbed onto the active sites of the captured MPs, and quantification was achieved via differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). This strategy leverages the hydrophobic and electronegative characteristics of the target, ensuring high selectivity and maintaining strong performance despite the presence of cations, anions, and organic substances. The sensor exhibited good linearity within the MP concentration range of 5 - 500 μg/L, achieving a low detection limit (LOD) of 1.91 μg/L. In the analysis of real samples, the method demonstrated satisfactory spike recovery ranging from 89.0% to 107.1%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) ≤ 8.03%. This study provides a sensitive, rapid, and cost-effective approach with significant potential for detecting MPs in water.