Fabiana Arduini
University of Rome, Italy
PAPER-BASED ELECTROCHEMICAL SENSOR FOR INVESTIGATING STIMULI-RESPONSIVE COPPER-MODIFIED MESOPOROUS SILICA NANOPARTICLES AS SMART ANTIMICROBIAL DELIVERY SYSTEM
Abstract:
Within the framework of sustainable development, naturally derived molecules represent a reliable alternative to synthetic antimicrobials, as their application mitigates the introduction of harmful contaminants into the environment. Essential oils exhibit well-established antimicrobial properties, and their use is forecasted to increase in the coming years, making their analytical monitoring increasingly relevant. In recent work, we reported the fabrication of a reagent-free, paper-based electrochemical platform capable of identifying selected essential oils—specifically thymol, eugenol, and carvacrol—through the deposition of a 5 µL sample directly onto the sensing area. The working electrode was modified via drop-casting of carbon black, which, to our knowledge, enabled a marked enhancement in detection sensitivity for essential oils for the first time using this low-cost nanomaterial. To achieve a fully reagentless configuration, the paper-based sensor was preloaded with the appropriate supporting electrolyte, requiring the end user to perform only the sample application step. This sensor detected the selected essential oils in a dynamic linear range of up to 16 ppm, with a detection limit equal to 0.1, 0.1, and 0.2 ppm for thymol, eugenol, and carvacrol, respectively [1]. Herein, we present the reliable use of this sensor to demonstrate the effectiveness copper-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles in release of carvacrol under pH stimuli. Specifically, copper-functionalized mesoporous silica nanostructures (Cu-MSNs) were designed and fabricated as an intelligent, stimulus-activated platform for antimicrobial compound delivery, employing carvacrol as a naturally derived bioactive compound. These Cu-MSNs are characterized by an extensive specific surface, controllable mesochannel dimensions, and a high capacity for carvacrol encapsulation. Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) was utilized to graft poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) chains onto the Cu-MSN framework. These brushes will enable the controlled release of carvacrol in response to specific stimuli, such as pH, as we have easily and quickly demonstrated using the cost-effective, easy-to-use, and sustainable paper-based electrochemical sensor.
Biography:
Fabiana Arduini is a Full Professor at Department of Chemical Science and Technologies, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, founder of start-up SENSE4MED, Quality Assurance Manager at ISO9001 Certified Laboratory LabCap, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Editor of Green Analytical Chemistry Journal, Elsevier, Associated Editor of Microchemical Journal, Elsevier, Member of Editorial Advisors Analytical Chimica Acta, Elsevier, Member of the Editorial Board Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Elsevier. She is a member of the Italian commission composed of scientists of “high renown” established by the Italian Minister of Defence in 2024 to update the studies carried out to date on the consequences deriving from exposure to depleted uranium and CnGE, CapTech CBRN&HF, European Defence Agency.
Her research activity deals with the development of miniaturised electrochemical devices mainly using screen-printed electrodes modified with nanomaterials and paper-based analytical tools applied in environmental, biomedical, agrifood, and defense sectors, with over 200 articles published in peer-review journals, H index 71, > 10 patents, coordinators of several national/international projects including Horizon Europe Pathfinder project Phoenix-OoC (March 2024- February 2027). Her name is listed among the top 2% of most cited researchers in the world.