2. Academic Validation
  3. Polydopamine based ion-selective nanosensor for electrolyte sensing

Polydopamine based ion-selective nanosensor for electrolyte sensing

  • Mikrochim Acta. 2026 Feb 21;193(3):176. doi: 10.1007/s00604-026-07859-1.
Md Dulal Hossain Khan 1,  Zhiyu Tang 1,  Alejandra Coronel-Zegarra 1 2,  Laiqi Zhang 1,  Vivian Merk 1 2,  Renjie Wang 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA.
  • 2 Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA.
  • 3 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA. [email protected].
PMID: 41721834 DOI: 10.1007/s00604-026-07859-1
Abstract

Ion-selective nanosensors enable ions monitoring in live cells, yet most existing optode platforms rely on limited matrix Materials with constrained functionalization and stability. Here, polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles were integrated with ionophore based ion selective sensing principle to generate stable, tunable nanosensors for potassium (K⁺) and calcium (Ca²⁺) detection. The PDA matrix enhanced sensitivity through its negatively charged microenvironment and enabled straightforward surface functionalization with cysteamine and glutathione to promote cellular interaction and uptake. The nanosensors exhibited broad dynamic ranges (0.1 mM-0.1 M for K⁺ and 1 µM-0.1 M for Ca²⁺), high selectivity over competing ions, excellent colloidal stability, and minimal cytotoxicity. Importantly, PDA-based nanosensors enabled real-time visualization of intracellular K⁺ dynamics in live cells. These results establish PDA as a promising and adaptable matrix for next-generation ion-selective nanosensors in biological environments.

Keywords

Ion-selective nanosensor; Ionophore; Live cells; Polydopamine.

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