Microplastic contaminants detection in aquatic environment by hydrophobic cerium oxide nanoparticles

Hong-Hue Thi Nguyen; Eunbi Kim; Mohammad Imran; Yong-Ho Choi; Dong-Heui Kwak; Sadia Ameen

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141961

Microplastic contaminants detection in aquatic environment by hydrophobic cerium oxide nanoparticles

Chemosphere. 2024 Apr 12:357:141961. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141961. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Hong-Hue Thi Nguyen¹, Eunbi Kim², Mohammad Imran³, Yong-Ho Choi⁴, Dong-Heui Kwak⁵, Sadia Ameen⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Bio-Active Material Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk, 54896, Republic of Korea.
² Advanced Materials and Devices Laboratory, Department of Bio-Convergence Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Advanced Science Campus, Jeongeup, Jeonbuk, 56212, Republic of Korea.
³ Department of Bio-Active Material Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk, 54896, Republic of Korea; Advanced Materials and Devices Laboratory, Department of Bio-Convergence Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Advanced Science Campus, Jeongeup, Jeonbuk, 56212, Republic of Korea.
⁴ Department of Bio-Convergence Science, Jeonbuk National University, Cheomdan-ro, Jeongeup, Jeonbuk, 56212, Republic of Korea.
⁵ Department of Bio-Active Material Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk, 54896, Republic of Korea; Department of Bio-Convergence Science, Jeonbuk National University, Cheomdan-ro, Jeongeup, Jeonbuk, 56212, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kwak124@jbnu.ac.kr.
⁶ Advanced Materials and Devices Laboratory, Department of Bio-Convergence Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Advanced Science Campus, Jeongeup, Jeonbuk, 56212, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: sadiaameen@jbnu.ac.kr.

PMID: 38615954
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141961

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) poses a significant threat to ecosystems and human health, demanding immediate attention. The reported research work offers an effective and low cost method towards the detection of toxic MPs. In this study, hydrophobic cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO₂ NPs) are synthesized and applied as promising electrode material for the detection of two different types of MPs, i.e. polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). Through electrochemical analyses, such as cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), hydrophobic CeO₂ NPs modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) based sensor demonstrated remarkable sensitivity of ∼0.0343 AmLmg^-1cm^-2 and detection limit of ∼0.226 mgmL^-1, with promising correlation coefficient (R²) towards the detection of PE (∼27-32 μm). Furthermore, hydrophobic CeO₂ NPs modified GCE exhibited promising stability and reproducibility towards PE (∼27-32 μm), suggesting the promising potential of hydrophobic CeO₂ NPs as electrode materials for an electrochemical microplastics detection.

Keywords: Cerium oxide; Detection; Electrode; Microplastics; Sensitivity.