A Competitive Antifouling Sensor with a High-Efficiency Cluster for Environmental Pollution Trace Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a prevalent freshwater toxin linked to chronic poisoning and liver cancer.
• Sensitive detection of MC-LR is crucial for environmental monitoring.
• Sensor fouling by co-existing pollutants hinders accurate MC-LR detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a highly sensitive and antifouling sensor for MC-LR detection.
• To construct a competitive sensor utilizing a novel hydrogel-MOF system.
• To address the challenge of pollutant adsorption on sensor surfaces.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a competitive antifouling sensor using methacrylate hyaluronic acid-carboxybetaine methacrylamide (HA-CB) hydrogel and FeCu metal-organic framework (MOF).
• Utilizing the HA-CB hydrogel as an antifouling substrate and the FeCu MOF for signal enhancement with Eu nanoclusters (NCs).
• Employing a competitive strategy between MC-LR and its antigen for detection.

Main Results:

• The sensor demonstrated excellent antifouling properties, preventing adsorption of common contaminants.
• Achieved a low limit of detection for MC-LR at 9.14 fg/mL.
• Successfully detected MC-LR in real water samples, confirming its practical applicability.

Conclusions:

• The developed sensor offers a sensitive and reliable method for MC-LR detection in environmental samples.
• The combination of antifouling hydrogel and bifunctional MOF presents a novel strategy for pollutant monitoring.
• This approach enhances sensor stability and detection accuracy in complex matrices.