Renewable magnetic ion-selective colorimetric microsensors based on surface modified polystyrene beads

Magnetic ion-selective colorimetric microspheres based on surface modification of polystyrene beads (0.8 μm diameter) are reported for the first time. The common components of ion-selective optode sensing (chromoionophore, ion-exchanger and ionophore) and magnetic nanoparticles are adsorbed onto the surface of the polystyrene particles using a simple mixed solvent method. The average diameter of the magnetic microspheres is evaluated by dynamic light scattering as 0.79 ± 0.06 μm. The reversible microsensors are circulated by flow and accumulated at a single spot by an applied magnet to become observable by digital camera. Hue signals are extracted from the recorded images to quantify the ratio of protonated and deprotonated form of the chromoionophore, which is the basis for optode response. The resulting magnetic microsensors respond to K⁺ with excellent selectivity over the range of 10^-6 M to 10^-2 M and a response time of t₉₉ < 2.6±0.5 min above 10^-5 M. The use of solvatochromic dyes as pH independent transducers was not successful in this application.