Colorimetric sensor array: Rapid and sensitive approach for detecting and identifying emerging nanomaterial contaminants

Emerging contaminants such as nanomaterials and micro-plastics pose significant environmental risks due to their elusive nature and the limitations of current detection methods. Conventional techniques like UV-Vis spectroscopy and electron microscopy, though effective, are costly, low-throughput, and non-portable, particularly impacting populations in remote areas and less developed countries with increased vulnerability to materials contamination in natural and drinking water. To address this challenge, this study aims to develop a simple, portable, and rapid colorimetric sensor tailored for detecting materials contaminants in drinking water.  

The proposed sensor design features an array utilizing chemo-responsive (pH indicator) dyes. The collective color-change response of the array serves as a distinctive "colorimetric fingerprint," enabling the identification of specific materials contaminants. This research focuses on evaluating the sensor array's capability to differentiate nanomaterials contaminants based on their surface charge. Specifically, the efficacy of the array in detecting and quantifying poly electrolyte-coated gold nanoparticles has been systematically evaluated through experimentation.  

By leveraging chemo-responsive dyes in a portable sensor design, this study aims to provide a cost-effective and accessible solution for identifying emerging contaminants in drinking water, thereby addressing critical environmental and public health concerns.