Amperometric Detection of Ethanol Vapors by Screen Printed Electrodes Modified by Paper Crowns Soaked with Room Temperature Ionic Liquids

Abstract

A convenient assembly recently proposed for screen printed gold electrodes (SPEs) suitable for measurements in gaseous samples is here tested for the analysis of the ethanol content in alcoholic drinks. This assembly involves the use of a circular crown of filter paper, soaked in the room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate, which is simply placed upon a disposable screen printed cell, so as to contact the outer edge of the gold disc working electrode, as well as peripheral counter and reference electrodes. The electrical contact between the paper crown soaked in RTIL and the SPE electrode is assured by a gasket and all components are installed in a polylactic acid holder. This assembly provides a portable and disposable electrochemical platform, assembled by the easy immobilization onto a porous and inexpensive supporting material such as paper of a RTIL characterized by profitable electrical conductivity and negligible vapor pressure. The electroanalytical performance of this device was assayed for the flow injection analysis of the ethanol concentration in some real samples of wine and beer and the results obtained are compared with the alcoholic degree reported in the relevant bottle‐labels, thus highlighting a substantially satisfactory agreement. Repeatable sharp peaks (RSD=6–8 %) were detected for ethanol over a wide linear range (1–20 % v/v in water) and a detection and quantitation limit of 0.55 % v/v and 1.60 % v/v were inferred for a signal‐to‐noise ratio of 3 and 10, respectively.

Wearable Nano-Based Gas Sensors for Environmental Monitoring and Encountered Challenges in Optimization

“…These include the lower cost of fabrication and manufacturing instruments, and the fact that a clean room is not needed. Techniques such as inkjet, screen, stencil, and extrusion-based printing, laser engraving and carbonization, stamping and transfer printing, and their variations and their combination can be exploited to create devices, while they can also be combined, if needed, with microfabrication approaches for critical stages of the manufacturing process [272][273][274][275][276][277][278][279][280][281]. Each of these methods comes with their constraints in terms of material properties they are most suitable to be used with, manufacturing temperatures, final device dimensions, etc., so materials need to be carefully selected and optimized.…”

Current State of Sensors and Sensing Systems Utilized in Beer Analysis

“…Screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) equipped with gold working electrodes were modified by coating their probe surface with a paper crown which was soaked with two different room temperature ionic liquids used for the flow injection amperometric detection of ethanol in alcoholic beverages. It was found to be a rapid ethanol detection method in drinks suitable for untrained operators, and easy to transport [68]. For simultaneous quantification and discrimination of methanol and ethanol, a dual biosensor analysis system was developed where both ADH and AOX (alcohol oxidase) were used because ADH can oxidize only ethanol from the mixture, and AOX can oxidize preferentially methanol but also ethanol [69].…”

Synergistic Applications of Graphene-Based Materials and Deep Eutectic Solvents in Sustainable Sensing: A Comprehensive Review

“…In terms of separative techniques, DESs have been used as mobile-phase modifiers in liquid chromatography [ 83 ]. Finally, in the electroanalytical field, they have been used simultaneously as electrolytes and preconcentrating solvents in the development of gas sensors [ 84 , 85 ] and biosensors aimed at determining gluten [ 86 , 87 ].…”