Stochastic detection of nanoparticle impacts using printed electrochemical sensor arrays

纳米颗粒越来越多地用于消费品和工业产品。结果，不同大小、形状和材料的颗粒被大量释放到环境中。特别是，银纳米颗粒由于其抗菌性能而被广泛应用于各种产品中。为了评估可能的副作用，这需要有效的方法来检测和量化纳米颗粒。在这里，我们建议研究一种新的电化学技术，用于随机检测颗粒碰撞，并开发在咸水和甜水系统中快速定量和确定纳米银颗粒大小的策略。理解纳米粒子撞击产生的电化学信号对基础科学和应用都是一个令人着迷的挑战。我们的目标是阐明支持电解质在纳米颗粒撞击过程中对信号产生的影响，这对于在任意水环境中进行可靠的定量是重要的。此外，我们将利用表面修饰和微流控集成来解决纳米颗粒传感器系统因吸附而造成的当前限制。对纳米颗粒在环境中的去向和分布进行系统研究需要多功能的传感平台。我们将研究能够检测和区分不同纳米颗粒的一次性印刷传感器系统的制造策略。我们相信，这将使未来在偏远环境中快速和大规模监测纳米颗粒污染的发展成为可能。

Nanoparticles are increasingly used in consumer and industrial products. As a consequence, particles of different sizes, shapes, and materials are released in large quantities into the environment. In particular, silver nanoparticles are abundantly used in diverse products due to their antimicrobial properties. To assess possible side effects, this calls for efficient methods for the detection and quantification of nanoparticles. Here, we propose to investigate an emerging electrochemical technique for the stochastic detection of particle impacts and develop strategies for the rapid quantification and sizing of silver nanoparticles in salt- and sweet water systems. Understanding electrochemical signals originating from nanoparticle impacts is a fascinating challenge for both, fundamental science and application. Our goal is to elucidate the effects of supporting electrolytes on signal generation during nanoparticle impacts, which is important for reliable quantification in arbitrary aqueous environments. Furthermore, we will address current limitations of nanoparticle sensor systems caused by adsorption using surface modification and microfluidic integration. Systemic studies of the fate and distribution of nanoparticles in the environment require versatile sensing platforms. We will investigate fabrication strategies for disposable printed sensor systems capable of detecting and discriminating different nanoparticles. We believe this will enable future developments for rapid and large-scale monitoring of nanoparticle contamination in remote environments.