Microfluidic detection of soil nitrate ions using novel electrochemical foam electrode

This paper reports on a novel sensing interface using composites of graphene foam-titanium nitride nanofibers integrated into a microfluidic sensor for measurement of soil nitrate ions. An in-situ microfabrication approach, based on liquid phase polymerization process, is developed to enable integration of the porous composite into microfluidic channels. This sensor provides an ultralow limit-of-detection of 0.01 mg/L, and a high sensitivity of 683.3 μA mg
^-1
L cm
^-2
for nitrate ions. The advantageous features of composite, in conjunction with the in-situ integration approach, will enable a promising microfluidic sensor platform to monitor soil ions for nutrient management towards sustainable agriculture.