A Novel Impedimetric Sensor Based on Cyanobacterial Extracellular Polymeric Substances for Microplastics Detection

Cyanobacterial extracellular polymeric substances EPS have attracted intensive concern in biomedicine and food. Nevertheless, the use of those polymers as a sensor coating material has not yet been investigated mainly for microplastic detection. This study focuses on the application of EPS as a sensitive membrane deposited on a gold electrode and investigated with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to detect four types of microplastics with a size range of 0.1 mu m to 1 mm. The surface properties of this impedimetric sensor were investigated by Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray spectroscopy and, showed a high homogenous structure with the presence of several functional groups. The measurements showed a high homogenous structure with the presence of several functional groups. The EPS-based sensor could detect the four tested microplastics with a low limit of detection of 10(-11) M. It is the first report focusing on EPS extracted from cyanobacteria that could be a new quantification method for low concentrations of microplastics.

Automated summary

This study investigates the application of cyanobacterial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) as a sensor coating material for microplastic detection. The EPS-based sensor deposited on a gold electrode was analyzed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Surface properties of the sensor were examined using various techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray spectroscopy. The results show that the EPS-based sensor has a high homogenous structure and can detect low concentrations of four types of microplastics.