Nanoarray membrane sensor based on a multilayer design for sensing of water pollutants

Abstract

A ubiquitous electrochemical sensor which can detect pollutants in nonconducting aqueous solutions is prepared using a triple layer design, comprising a polyelectrolyte entrapped within micrometer-length nanochannels and sandwiched between two nanometer-thick electrode layers. Replacement of the polyelectrolyte with an enzyme-polyelectrolyte mixture within the nanochannels confers excellent biosensing characteristics. Its superior analytical performance of quantitating copper ions and formaldehyde at trace levels without additional sample treatment steps is demonstrated in freshwater samples derived from a local reservoir. © 2010 American Chemical Society.