Scientists have developed a simple TMP detection device for in-situ monitoring of contaminated wastewater using a selenite-rich lanthanum hydroxide electrode and a microfluidic channel in a polyimide filter. Credit: Tae Yoon Lee, Chungnam National University, South Korea
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health crisis as bacteria and other microorganisms become resistant to antibiotics. The main driver of this increase is the inappropriate use and disposal of antibiotics in the environment.
Effluents from wastewater treatment plants often contain a variety of antibiotics, including trimethoprim (TMP), which can negatively impact ecosystems by disrupting microbial communities essential to nutrient cycling. . In addition to contributing to AMR, TMPs pose various health risks to humans through indirect exposure.
Traditional TMP detection methods, such as capillary electrophoresis and liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry, are often labor-intensive and time-consuming. Electrochemical (EC) methods can escape these problems by offering superior sensitivity, real-time analysis capabilities, and potential for miniaturization.
Professor Tae Yoon Lee and Dr. Natarajan Karikalan from Chungnam University in South Korea have made pioneering advances in EC detection methods, showing the potential to revolutionize on-site testing of TMPs in contaminated wastewater. They developed the μTMP chip, a disposable microfluidic lab-on-a-chip (LOC) EC sensor designed for real-time TMP detection.
“Efficient monitoring of TMP in wastewater is critical to effective management protocols. We therefore aimed to enable on-site testing of water samples,” Professor Lee explains.
Their paper was published in Chemical Engineering Journal.
The researchers designed a disposable chip that combines special electrodes made of lanthanum hydroxide and selenite with a polyimide (PI) filter inside the microfluidic channel. Analysis showed that the addition of selenite improved charge flow and increased the electrode’s ability to detect chemicals.
Furthermore, although the PI filter improved the real-time performance of the μTMP chip, removing the filter resulted in a 15–45% decrease in efficiency. In addition, the filter helps capture and isolate unwanted substances, preventing the risk of microbial growth that could interfere with the sensor’s function.
The μTMP chip sensor showed excellent results in practical tests, with recoveries ranging from 94.3% to 97.6% in soil and water samples. These results obtained through wireless testing highlight the chip’s potential for practical application in monitoring environmental samples.
“Our current design may face challenges in detecting TMPs in highly contaminated environments with significant matrix interferences. We hope that this will stimulate further exploration into the development of innovative TMP detection chips,” said Professor Lee.
Researchers believe an innovative lab-on-a-chip design could improve the feasibility of on-site, real-time tracking of environmental contaminants, leading to improved conservation of ecosystems and human health. I am.
Further information: Natarajan Karikalan et al, Microfluidic sensor integrating selenite-enriched lanthanum hydroxide and in situ filtration for on-site detection of the antibiotic trimethoprim in environmental samples, Chemical Engineering Journal (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2024.155982
Provided by Chungnam University Evaluation Team
Citation: Researchers unveil chip for rapid monitoring of antibiotics in water (December 19, 2024) https://phys.org/news/2024-12-unveil-chip-quick-antibiotic. Retrieved January 1, 2025 from html
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