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

Reliable detection, capture, and elimination of bacteria are vital for clinical diagnostics, food and water safety, and environmental monitoring. We present a multifunctional platform based on bacteria-imprinted polymer (BIP)-coated carbon nanotube (CNT) ribbons fabricated via a roll-to-roll-compatible process, enabling scalable production. In situ electropolymerization of pyrrole on continuous CNT ribbons in the presence of Escherichia coli templates and 4-formylphenylboronic acid generated structurally and chemically tailored nanocavities. The resulting BIP-coated CNT ribbons integrate three key functions: sensitive electrochemical detection, selective macroscale capture, and low-voltage electrothermal elimination. The sensor exhibited dose-dependent current suppression down to 10² CFU/mL, reversible imprinting and rebinding, excellent regeneration stability (97.3% retention at 10⁴ CFU/mL), strong reproducibility (relative standard deviation 2.12%), and mechanical durability. High selectivity was achieved, showing strong responses to E. coli, negligible signals for gram-positive bacteria, and minimal interference from other gram-negative species. Joule heating raised ribbon temperature to ∼114.5°C at 5 V, enabling complete on-strip bacterial sterilization. The platform maintained robust performance in simulated urine and environmental water samples, showing minimal background signals, and clear dose responses upon spiking. Overall, this scalable, disposable BIP-CNT ribbon system offers an integrated approach for bacterial detection, capture, and elimination suitable for point-of-care diagnostics and field-deployable biosafety applications.