An electroconducting copper (II) imprinted sensor using algae as cheap substitute of multiwalled carbon nanotubes

•The encapsulated algal stains not only restricted the probable metal biosorption but also enhanced electro-conducting behavior of MIP-film.•The most interesting feature of algae was its ability to serve as an in-expensive alternative to the costly MWCNTs.•The detection sensitivity was found to the tune of 0.004 ng mL−1.•The proposed sensor could be utilized for the assessment of Cu (II) supplementation in patients.

A typical, reproducible, and rugged “complex-template” imprinted polymer-based pencil graphite electrode was fabricated for differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetric analysis of copper (II) (limit of detection, 0.004 ng mL−1, S/N = 3) in real-world samples. In this work, copper (II) ion mediated imprinting in alga (Aulosira sp.)-based molecularly imprinted polymer actually helped upbringing electro-conducting characteristics in the film. The modified electrode quantitatively responded copper (II), without any cross-reactivity and false-positives. Herein, encapsulated algal stains extended their carboxylate groups to imprint copper (II) in cooperation with an assistant monomer, N-methacryloylglutamic acid. The imprinted system simultaneously restricted the metal biosorption (non-specific adsorption) in acidic medium. The most interesting feature of algal stains was their ability to serve as an in-expensive alternative to the costly multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The results obtained by the proposed sensor could be utilized for the assessment of Cu (II) supplementation in metal-deficient patients and to estimate endogenous concentrations of Cu (II) in environmental, biological, and pharmaceutical samples.

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