Screen-printed Sensors Research Articles

Preparation of a V–COF@SWCNTs-COOH/SPCE supported molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor for real-time detection of trace sulfadimidine

To overcome the limitations of insufficient sensitivity and poor specificity of portable screen-printed carbon electrode-electrochemical sensors (SPCE-EC) in practical applications, we prepared carrier composites of carboxylic single-walled carbon nanotubes vertically grafted by covalent organic frameworks (v-COF@SWCNTs-COOH) and coated with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) of sulfadimidine (SM2). 55 °C hot steam elution is more eco-friendly than traditional organic solvent elution. The results showed that when the mass ratio of DBA to DBA-SWCNTs was 1:1, the v-COF@SWCNTs-COOH obtained by the two-step synthesis method could increase the electrical signal up to 2.33-fold of the bare electrode. The bifunctional monomer MIP prepared on the above structure enhanced the signal response by 2.91-fold, with a high imprint factor of 20. The assembled MIP/v-COF@SWCNTs-COOH/SPCE were analyzed by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) with a high sensitivity of 0.21 nM for LOD and 0.70 nM for LOQ. In milk and fish samples, the recovery rate was 95.0 %–104.8 %. The validation of authentic pork samples with the statutory LC-MS/MS method showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). The sensor's performance indicators remained robust after five repeated uses. Therefore, the MIP/v-COF@SWCNTs-COOH/SPCE combines the cheapness and portability of SPCE, while the sensitivity and specificity of small molecule detection were significantly improved.

A-368 Feasibility of a Five-Minute Sample-to-Answer Basic Metabolic Panel for Point-of-Care Testing on the Fluxergy Analyzer

Abstract Background Adoption of point-of-care (POC) platforms has been limited by their high cost and limited menu (e.g., molecular only). Fluxergy has developed a cost-effective multimodal POC platform capable of performing the most common clinical chemistry, immunochemistry, hematology, molecular tests in CLIA-waived settings. This method comparison study describes the performance of the Fluxergy’s feasibility stage basic metabolic panel (BMP) with contrived samples compared to the Siemen’s epoc® Blood Analysis System. Methods Fluxergy Analyzer: The Fluxergy Analyzer is a rapid and cost-effective multimodality platform that can perform lab-quality PCR, clinical chemistry, immunochemistry, and cytometry in a single instrument and if required, in a single cartridge. Fluxergy BMP: Fluxergy BMP rapidly quantifies key electrolytes (K+, Na+, Ca2+, Cl-) and metabolites (glucose, creatinine, and BUN) from whole blood in under five minutes on the Fluxergy Analyzer, utilizing the Fluxergy test cards with screen-printed electrochemical sensor. Feasibility Study: A method comparison study was conducted to assess the performance of the feasibility stage Fluxergy BMP using contrived samples generated by spiking known concentrations of K+, Na+, Ca2+, Cl-, and glucose into buffer solutions. Samples were tested in triplicate with both the Fluxergy BMP and Siemen’s epoc® Blood Analysis System at three different concentrations across the reportable range of the epoc® Blood Analysis System. Results The feasibility stage Fluxergy BMP demonstrated strong correlation across the reportable range for K+, Na+, Ca2+, Cl-, and glucose versus the epoc® Blood Analysis System (Table 1). The error percentage for all samples tested except one glucose sample (9.5 mM) was less than 10%. The coefficient of variance for all samples tested except one Ca2+ sample (0.44 mM) was less than ten percent. Conclusions This feasibility data demonstrates the Fluxergy Analyzer is well-suited to perform rapid and accurate metabolic testing from whole blood samples at the POC.

Self-Healing and Shear-Stiffening Electrodes for Wearable Biopotential Sensing and Gesture Recognition.

The achievement of flexible skin electrodes for dynamic monitoring of biopotential is one of the challenging issues in flexible electronics due to the interference of large acceleration and heavy sweat that influence the stability of skin-electrode interfaces. This work presents materials and techniques to achieve self-healing and shear-stiffening electrodes and an associated flexible system that can be used for multichannel biopotential measurement on the skin. The electrode that is based on a composite of silver (Ag) flakes, Ag nanowires, and polyborosiloxane offers an electrical conductivity of 9.71 × 104 S/m and a rheological characteristic that ensures stable and fully conformal contact with skin and easy removal under different shear rates. The electrode can maintain its conductivity even after being stretched by more than 60% and becomes self-healed after mechanical damage. The combination of the electrodes with a screen-printed multichannel flexible sensor allows stable monitoring of both static and dynamic electromyography signals, leading to the acquisition of high-quality multilead biopotential signals that can be readily extracted to yield gesture recognition results with over 97.42% accuracy. The conductive self-healing materials and flexible sensors may be utilized in various daily biopotential sensing applications, allowing highly stable dynamic measurement to facilitate artificial intelligence-enabled health condition diagnosis and human-computer interface.

Voltammetric and flow amperometric determination of drug guaifenesin in pharmaceutical and biological samples using screen-printed sensor with boron doped diamond electrode

New voltammetric and flow amperometric methods for the determination of guaifenesin (GFE) using a perspective screen-printed sensor (SPE) with boron-doped diamond electrode (BDDE) were developed. The electrochemical oxidation of GFE was studied on the surface of the oxygen-terminated BDDE of the sensor. The GFE provided two irreversible anodic signals at a potential of 1.0 and 1.1 V (vs. Ag|AgCl|KCl sat.) in Britton-Robinson buffer (pH 2), which was chosen as the supporting electrolyte for all measurements. First, a voltammetric method based on differential pulse voltammetry was developed and a low detection limit (LOD = 41 nmol L−1), a wide linear dynamic range (LDR = 0.1–155 μmol L−1), and a good recovery in the analysis of model and pharmaceutical samples (RSD <3.0 %) were obtained. In addition, this sensor demonstrated excellent sensitivity and reproducibility in the analysis of biological samples (RSD <3.2 %), where the analysis took place in a drop of serum (50 μL) without pretreatment and additional electrolyte. Subsequently, SP/BDDE was incorporated into a flow-through 3D printed electrochemical cell and a flow injection analysis method with electrochemical detection (FIA-ED) was developed, resulting in excellent analytical parameters (LOD = 86 nmol L−1, LDR = 0.1–50 μmol L−1). Moreover, the mechanism of electrochemical oxidation of GFE was proposed based on calculations of HOMO spatial distribution and spectroelectrochemical measurements focused on IR identification of intermediates and products.

Screen-Printed Capacitive Tactile Sensor for Monitoring Tool–Tissue Interactions and Grasping Performances of a Surgical Magnetic Microgripper

Screen-Printed Capacitive Tactile Sensor for Monitoring Tool–Tissue Interactions and Grasping Performances of a Surgical Magnetic Microgripper

Screen-printed, biocompatible and ultrasensitive sensor for real-time reactive oxygen species detection in human sweat

Excessive or burst generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can induce oxidative stress, precipitating a range of critical illnesses, including cancers, Parkinson's disease and Ischemia-reperfusion injury. Conventional biological assays for ROS, involving discrete steps of capturing, labelling, and spectrometric detection, are complex and time-intensive. Moreover, their accuracy is substantially compromised by the short lifespan (microseconds to milliseconds) of ROS. Consequently, there is a pressing need for a rapid and efficient method that enables real-time detection. In this study, we have developed a printable, flexible ROS sensor based on a robust nanoenzyme composite by direct deposition of the paste onto a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. This device demonstrated the fast and real-time responses to the hydrogen peroxide (mimetic agent) in the laboratory and to total ROS in sweat of an individual, exhibiting an outstanding current response to hydrogen peroxide across a broad concentration range of 0.01–10 mM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.85 μM. The device's sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide (136.59 μA mM−1 cm−2), was found to be 1.5 to 10 times higher than that of sensors previously reported. Moreover, the IFRS device successfully identified instantaneous ROS levels in the sweat of adult males in vitro, with amperometric response increased 8 times after half an hour strenuous exercise, thereby exhibiting excellent selectivity, remarkable stability, and confirmed high biosafety. Overall, the IFRS provides a viable and practical solution for simple, expedited, and real-time ROS detection in the near future.

Development and characterization of flexible carbon temperature sensors: a study on different inks and sensor designs

Several industries and applications rely on the accurate monitoring of temperature. Consequently, the development and integration of reliable and flexible temperature sensors that are able to conform to different surfaces is desirable. Despite being a known fact that the used materials, chosen technologies, sensor size, and design tend to impact the performance of said sensors, not many studies focus on the analysis of the influence of these factors. As a result, this work intended to explore how the performance of carbon-based screen-printed temperature sensors could be tuned or optimized by changing the ink and the design of the printed sensors. Therefore, two commercial carbon inks and three different designs were used to create the herein-studied temperature sensors. Firstly, to explore potential differences between the used inks, their morphologic, chemical, and electrical properties were evaluated, allowing further insights to be gathered regarding the filler type, composition, and bulk resistivity. After printing the sensors, they were also submitted to electrical impedance spectroscopy, which allowed for a circuit equivalent model to be proposed for each sensor type, unraveling how current flew across the printed materials. Then, a full factorial statistical analysis was outlined and conducted to uncover which combination of factors allowed to optimize the sensors’ performance, i.e. lower initial resistance, higher thermal coefficient of resistance (TCR), and higher correlation coefficient (R2) of the responses. To gather the experimental data, the electrical response of the sensors (resistance variation) to increasing temperature was collected. As a result of these experiments, it was revealed that ink 1 (based upon carbon nanoparticles) allowed to obtain less resistive sensors and, even though ink 2 (based upon carbon nanotubes) presented higher sensitivity, ink 1 resulted in higher linearity of the sensors. Overall, the factor design had less influence on the results than the factor ink. Notwithstanding, design 1 could be used to obtain sensors with lower native resistance and higher linearity. To sum up, using ink 1 combined with design 1 (fewer hoops and thicker line width) allowed to obtain temperature sensors with average resistance at room temperature of 7.8 kΩ, a TCR of 1.13 %.ºC−1, and R2 of 0.99, which means the herein studied sensors present a very promising behavior when compared to the sensors in the preexisting literature. Thus, the proposed optimized sensors presented attractive characteristics as flexible printed temperature sensors.

Cost-effective fully 3D-printed on-drop electrochemical sensor based on carbon black/polylactic acid: a comparative study with screen-printed sensors in food analysis.

3D-printing technology allows scientist to fabricate easily electrochemical sensors. Until now, these sensors were designed employing a large amount of material, which increases the cost and decreases manufacturing throughput. In this work, a low-cost 3D-printed on-drop electrochemical sensor (3D-PES) was fully manufactured by fused filament fabrication, minimizing the number of printing layers. Carbon black/polylactic acid filament was employed, and the design and several printing parameters were optimized to yield the maximum electroanalytical performance using the minimal amount ofmaterial. Print speed and extrusion width showed a critical influence on the electroanalytical performance of 3D-PES. Under optimized conditions, the fabrication procedure offered excellent reproducibility (RSD 1.3% in working electrode diameter), speed (< 3min/unit), and costs (< 0.01 $ in materialcost). The 3D-PES was successfully applied to the determination of phloridzin in apple juice. The analytical performance of 3D-PES was compared with an equivalent commercial on-drop screen-printed electrode, yielding similar precision and accuracy but lower sensitivity. However, 3D-PES provides interesting features such as recyclability, biodegradability, low-cost, and the possibility of being manufactured near the point of need, some of which meets several demands of Green Chemistry. This cost-effective printing approach is a green and promising alternative for manufacturing disposable and portable electroanalytical devices, opening new possibilities not only in on-site food analysis but also in point-of-care testing.

Co3O4 Based Non-Enzymatic Microneedle Glucose Sensor for Plant Health Monitoring

Over the last decade, various wearable sensor technologies that can monitor human health precisely in real time have extensively been developed. More recently, such wearable biosensor technologies have been employed to observe the condition of plants as well. In particular, a glucose sensor, which has been actively researched for diabetes, can also be applied to plants. A level of glucose concentration in plants indicates cellular metabolic status, biotic and abiotic stress of plants. However, unlike advanced glucose sensors for humans, early glucose sensors based on glucose oxidase are still used in plants glucose monitoring. The enzyme-based glucose sensor has several disadvantages including the stability problem due to denaturation of enzymes and difficulty of immobilizing enzymes on the electrode surface. Additionally, glucose oxidase needs a redox shuttle to transfer electrons, which complicate the sensor manufacturing process. Moreover, H2O2 is generated as a byproduct of glucose oxidase and glucose reaction, which can cause damage to plants and enzymes.In this study, non-enzymatic microneedle (MN) glucose sensor was developed using Co3O4 as a substitute for glucose oxidase. Co3O4 have electrocatalytic properties and chemical stability, showing higher sensitivity compared to glucose oxidase, and is suitable for long-term monitoring. However, it has the disadvantage of low electrical conductivity, making it difficult to transfer electrons, which are generated from the reaction with glucose, to a sensor electrode. Therefore, carbon nanomaterials were mixed to increase electron transfer efficiency and drop casted on the working electrode of a screen-printed sensor. To optimize the ratio of Co3O4 and carbon nanomaterials, the sensitivity was observed by comparing the peak current of cyclic voltammogram and saturation currents of amperogram according to each mixing ratio. Through the analysis results, it was confirmed that 17 wt% carbon nanomaterial had the highest sensitivity of 207 μA/mM cm2. Afterwards, a MN array sensor was fabricated to measure the glucose in plant leaves. MN can penetrate the epidermis of the leaf and enable to measure the glucose from near the phloem of the leaf. MN array structure was fabricated by dispensing SU-8 into a PDMS negative mold and cured by UV exposure. The working and reference electrode of MN array were coated with Co3O4/carbon composite and pseudo-Ag/AgCl ink, respectively, using a pneumatic 3D printer. Pt sputtering was conducted for forming the counter electrode. The metabolism of plants was confirmed by measuring the glucose concentration of leaves at day and night using a MN glucose sensor.

Screen-printed electrode-based sensor for rapid ketamine determination: optimization and on-site application for seized drugs analysis

This study investigates the electrochemical behavior of ketamine using an in-lab fabricated screen-printed electrode system and explores its potential application in quantitative analysis. Cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) experiments were employed to characterize the oxidation behavior of ketamine. Systematic optimization of DPV parameters, including pulse amplitude, pulse width, potential step, potential, and time accumulation for analyte preconcentration resulted in the selection of optimal conditions for quantitative analysis. The developed DPV method exhibited excellent linearity (R2 = 0.996) over the concentration range of 50–500 µM, with a limit of detection of 15 µM and a limit of quantification of 50 µM. Authentic samples analysis demonstrated the utility of the proposed sensor for quantitative analysis of ketamine in pharmaceutical products and seized drug samples. Overall, the developed sensor offers a promising tool for the rapid and accurate analysis of ketamine in various samples with potential applications in on-site forensic analysis.Graphical abstract

Submersible voltammetric sensing probe for rapid and extended remote monitoring of opioids in community water systems

The intensifying global opioid crisis, majorly attributed to fentanyl (FT) and its analogs, has necessitated the development of rapid and ultrasensitive remote/on-site FT sensing modalities. However, current approaches for tracking FT exposure through wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) are unadaptable, time-consuming, and require trained professionals. Toward developing an extended in situ wastewater opioid monitoring system, we have developed a screen-printed electrochemical FT sensor and integrated it with a customized submersible remote sensing probe. The sensor composition and design have been optimized to address the challenges for extended in situ FT monitoring. Specifically, ZIF-8 metal–organic framework (MOF)-derived mesoporous carbon (MPC) nanoparticles (NPs) are incorporated in the screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) transducer to improve FT accumulation and its electrocatalytic oxidation. A rapid (10 s) and sensitive square wave voltammetric (SWV) FT detection down to 9.9 µgL−1 is thus achieved in aqueous buffer solution. A protective mixed-matrix membrane (MMM) has been optimized as the anti-fouling sensor coating to mitigate electrode passivation by FT oxidation products and enable long-term, intermittent FT monitoring. The unique MMM, comprising an insulating polyvinyl chloride (PVC) matrix and carboxyl-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT-COOH) as semiconductive fillers, yielded highly stable FT sensor operation (> 95% normalized response) up to 10 h in domestic wastewater, and up to 4 h in untreated river water. This sensing platform enables wireless data acquisition on a smartphone via Bluetooth. Such effective remote operation of submersible opioid sensing probes could enable stricter surveillance of community water systems toward timely alerts, countermeasures, and legal enforcement.Graphical abstract

Design of point-of-care electrochemical sensor for therapeutic drug monitoring of ofloxacin in biological fluids

A disposable screen-printed sensor has been crafted specifically for therapeutic drug monitoring purposes, particularly for detecting ofloxacin in biological fluids. To enhance selectivity toward ofloxacin, a supramolecular calix [6] arene serves as the ionophore of choice. The sensor incorporates a graphene nanocomposite as an ion-to-electron transducer layer, which not only boosts potential stability but also mitigates potential drift. The developed ofloxacin sensor underwent rigorous characterization following IUPAC guidelines. The linearity range spans from 1 × 10–6 to 1 × 10–2 M, with a measured slope of 59.0 mV/decade. Impressively, it boasts a percentage recovery of 100.18 ± 1.60 and a low detection limit (LOD) of 6 × 10–7 M. Stability assessments indicate reliable performance over an extended period of 8 weeks. The versatility of this sensor extends to various applications, including the determination of ofloxacin in pharmaceutical formulations, bulk powder, and biological fluids. Notably, it has demonstrated efficacy post-bioanalysis validation, adhering to Food and Drug Administration regulations. This advancement holds promise for personalized therapeutic drug monitoring in clinical pharmacy studies and quality control laboratories, thereby optimizing patient care at the point-of-care.Graphical abstract

Molecular Recognition of VSIG1 in Biological Samples for Fast Diagnosis of Gastric Cancer

VSIG1 is a new biomarker member of the JAM family relevant in gastric cancer diagnostics. Due to its detection and quantification impact for fast and early diagnosis of gastric cancer, two types of intelligent miniplatforms based on stochastic sensors as detection tools, were designed and validated using real samples. A 3D stochastic microsensor based on Nitrogen and Sulfur dopped graphene paste modified with calix[4]arene-25,26,27,28-tetrol, and a 2D disposable screen-printed stochastic sensor based on thin film gold modified with calix[4]arene-25,26,27,28-tetrol were constructed and inserted as working sensors into the miniplatforms. The proposed intelligent miniplatforms shown sensitivities as high as 1.12 × 1010 s−1g−1ml, limits of determination of 1 × 10−23g ml−1, and working concentration ranges between 1 × 10−23 and 1 × 10−8 g ml−1. Recoveries higher than 99.30% with % RSD values lower than 0.05% were obtained when used for screening test of biological samples, for VSIG1.

One-Step Electrodeposition of MnO2-Graphitic Carbon Nitride Composite Layer on Screen Printed Electrode for Electrocatalytic Dopamine Sensing

Electroanalysis using screen-printed electrodes offers a cost-effective, rapid, and on-site analyte quantification. Nevertheless, ensuring the necessary stability, sensitivity, and selectivity of SPE in order to perform precise ultra-low-level analyses is critical. The use of nano-structured materials for surface functionalization is one of the most prevalent strategy to augment the sensitivity and selectivity of sensors. However, the selection of the surface functionalization technique and material plays a crucial role. The present study outlines a single step electro-functionalization of the screen-printed sensor (SPE) with a carbon–metal oxide composite consisting of graphitic carbon nitride and manganese oxide (gCN.MnxOy). The electrodeposited gCN.MnO2 layer has been thoroughly analysed using spectroscopic, microscopic, and electrochemical techniques. As a test case, the electro-functionalized SPE was used to quantify dopamine by monitoring its electrocatalytic oxidation. Due to π-π interaction between the aromatic ring structures of the gCN and dopamine molecules, H-bonding, enhanced electroactive site, and facilitated charge transfer at the MnO2.gCN surface layer, the modified SPEexhibited a 15-fold higher peak current and a negative potential shift of 150 mV for DA oxidation. Being 44 times more sensitive, gCN.MnO2|SPE exhibited a detection limit of 10 nM compared to 5.36 µM for the unmodified electrode. As proof of application, the gCN.MnO2|SPE successfully estimated dopamine in pharmaceutical formulations, banana peel, and clinical samples namely saliva, urine and blood serum with an error of less than 9 %. We believe, the proposed modification protocol has the potential to create low-cost disposable functional interfaces that match the desirable properties of commercial products.

Novel disposable screen-printed sensors based on copper oxide nanoparticles for sensitive voltammetric assay of antazoline

The fabrication and electroanalytical validation of a novel homemade screen-printed carbon electrode enriched with copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs/SPCEs) were demonstrated for sensitive and selective voltammetric determination antazoline (ANT) in eye drop solution and spiked serum samples. With a reported electrocatalytic activity, CuONPs catalyzed the oxidation of ANT at the electrode surface showing an irreversible anodic oxidation peak at 0.9 V under a diffusion-controlled electrode reaction. Based on the electroanalytical and molecular orbital calculation studies, oxidation of ANT molecule undergoes via oxidation of the aliphatic nitrogen atom within the ANT moiety. Linear calibration curves were illustrated covering the ANT concentration ranged from 0.01 to 3.819 µg mL−1 with and limit of detection 3 ng mL−1. The fabricated sensors enriched with CuONPs exhibited high fabrication and measurement reproducibility with a prolonged shelf lifetime (6 months). The electroanalytical approach presented adequate sensitivity and selectivity with a short analysis time, applying low-cost instrumentation and simple pretreatment protocol avoiding handling hazardous organic solvents. Trace ANT was monitored in the presence of different interfering species, degradation products, and xylometazoline hydrochloride (ZYL) in the co-formulated ophthalmic pharmaceutical samples. The CuONPs based voltammetric sensors were introduced as a reliable eco-friendly analytical tool for monitoring ANT in ophthalmic solutions and biological fluids with acceptable recovery values.

A Screen-Printed Voltammetric Sensor Modified with Electropolymerized Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (eMIP) to Determine Gallic Acid in Non-Alcoholic and Alcoholic Beverages.

This paper presents a low-cost disposable sensor for gallic acid (GA) detection in non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages using a screen-printed cell (SPC) whose working electrode (in graphite) is modified with electrosynthesized molecularly imprinted polypyrrole (eMIP). Our preliminary characterization of the electrochemical process shows that gallic acid (GA) undergoes irreversible oxidation at potentials of about +0.3 V. The peak potential is not affected by the presence of the eMIP film and alcohol percentages (ethanol) up to 20%. The GA determination is based on a differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) analysis leveraging its oxidation peak. The calibration data and the figures of merit of the analytical method (LOD, LOQ, and linear range) are calculated. To validate the feasibility of the sensor's application for the dosing of GA in real matrices, some non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages are analyzed. The results are then compared with those reported in the literature and with the total polyphenol content determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. In all cases, the concentrations of GA align with those previously found in the literature for the beverages examined. Notably, the values are consistently lower than the total polyphenol content, demonstrating the sensor's selectivity in discriminating the target molecule from other polyphenols present.

A new generation of fully-printed electrochemical sensors based on biochar/ethylcellulose-modified carbon electrodes: Fabrication, characterization and practical applications

Biochar is a material prepared by biomass pyrolysis, representing a more sustainable and efficient alternative to commonly used conventional carbon materials in electroanalysis. The aim of this paper is to point out that it can also show significant potential in the mass screen-printing production of miniaturized, low-cost, disposable and sensitive electrochemical sensors. Herein, a new generation of fully screen-printed electrochemical sensors is introduced, based on biochar/ethylcellulose-modified carbon working electrodes. The optimization in the sensor fabrication, involving the variability in the concentration of a binder and rheology modifier (ethylcellulose) and its impact on biochar inks from the viewpoint of viscoelasticity, printability and thermal stability, was performed to obtain the carbon-based electrochemical sensors with favourable robustness. The viability of these electrochemical sensors was demonstrated by the development and full validation of a new and sensitive differential pulse voltammetric method for the fast and reliable determination of paracetamol in pharmaceutical formulations. Within the method development, all necessary aspects, such as a study of the effect of ethylcellulose concentration, pH study of supporting electrolyte, selection of pulse parameters and analytical performance, were investigated. The obtained results allow us to predict the production and subsequent use of new, printable, cheap and environmentally friendly sensor platforms, which will exhibit convenient analytical performance with the possibility of commercialization.

Highly sensitive screen-printed soil moisture sensor array as green solutions for sustainable precision agriculture

Monitoring soil moisture in real-time is an important parameter that helps farmers decide to enhance agriculture productivity and reduce resource wastage for better production and plant growth. In this work, we presented an easy-to-use and highly sensitive screen-printed flexible soil moisture sensor array to monitor soil moisture remotely for precision agriculture. The proposed sensor is based on a unique interdigitated electrode (IDE)-based capacitive structure with conductive carbon ink printed on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate using the screen printing technique. Before soil moisture monitoring, the sensor is tested for humidity monitoring in an environmental chamber. A response of ∼144–1760 pF for 20–100%RH with 10%RH variation is observed for a single sensor, while an array configuration ranges from ∼127–1802 pF. The sensor response is observed for a temperature range from 20 to 50 ‘C. The sensor's sensitivity for relative humidity sensing is 19.123%pF/RH, and the response and recovery time are ∼3.3 s and ∼4.2 s. Further, the sensor is tested for soil moisture sensing, as moisture content is gradually added to the completely dry soil. A highly sensitive response for soil moisture content (MC) with a ∼40.7%pF/MC sensitivity is obtained. The sensor data is transmitted wirelessly using a Bluetooth module. The sensor is supported by a wooden stick, which illustrates the capabilities of biodegradability, the sensor is cost-effective and provides a real-time measurement for soil moisture. The sensors have the potential to provide maintenance-free monitoring, facilitating precise control of irrigation practices in precision agriculture. With their affordability and ability to operate on a large scale, the sensor offers promising opportunities for enhancing irrigation systems.

Highly sensitive and disposable screen-printed graphene-based electrochemical sensor coupled with monolithic micro-solid-phase extraction for the determination of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine in forensic applications

The development of a productive assay to quantify 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) levels in human urine samples is crucial in forensic applications. In this work, we examine the use of a disposable screen-printed graphene electrode coupled with in-tip monolithic micro-solid-phase extraction (µ-SPE) for the highly selective and sensitive determination of MDMA. To satisfy this requirement, we employ a sensor based on graphene nanomaterials integrated into a compact electrochemical device to enhance the sensitivity. In-tip monolithic µ-SPE is a facile and highly effective route for extraction and preconcentration (enrichment factor ∼ 10) to improve the sensitivity. The combination of our µ-SPE and an electrochemical sensor exhibits a remarkable performance in terms of sensitivity and selectivity for MDMA analysis. A wide linear range is observed within 0.10–10.00 µg mL−1, and the lowest limit of detection is calculated to be 0.03 µg mL−1. Moreover, no interference effect from other substances is observed for MDMA detection. The feasibility of the proposed assay is evaluated, and it is successfully used in MDMA determination in human urine samples with high accuracy, precision, reproducibility, stability, and reliability. Therefore, this novel proposed method is well suited as a compact disposable device for MDMA determination in forensic applications and can be employed by relevant government organizations to correctly identify MDMA levels in narcotic addicts.

Kinetic and geometric considerations in modeling screen-printed electrode-based sensors

Kinetic and geometric considerations in modeling screen-printed electrode-based sensors