Multifunctional Bacteria-Imprinted Polymer-Coated CNT Ribbons for Scalable Capture, Detection, and Elimination of...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Reliable bacterial detection, capture, and elimination are crucial for public health and safety.
• Existing methods often lack scalability, sensitivity, or integrated functionality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a multifunctional platform for scalable bacterial detection, capture, and elimination.
• To create bacteria-imprinted polymer (BIP)-coated carbon nanotube (CNT) ribbons using a roll-to-roll compatible process.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of BIP-coated CNT ribbons via in situ electropolymerization of pyrrole using Escherichia coli templates.
• Integration of electrochemical detection, macroscale capture, and electrothermal elimination functionalities.
• Testing of sensor performance, selectivity, regeneration stability, and durability in various sample matrices.

Main Results:

• The BIP-CNT ribbon sensor demonstrated dose-dependent current suppression down to 10^2 CFU/mL for E. coli.
• Achieved high selectivity for E. coli over gram-positive bacteria and other gram-negative species.
• Enabled complete on-strip bacterial sterilization via Joule heating (~114.5°C at 5 V) and showed robust performance in simulated urine and water samples.

Conclusions:

• The scalable, disposable BIP-CNT ribbon system provides an integrated solution for bacterial management.
• This platform is suitable for point-of-care diagnostics and field-deployable biosafety applications.
• The technology offers sensitive detection, selective capture, and efficient elimination of bacteria.