Electrochemical Detection of Gel Microparticles in Seawater

Abstract

We present the first atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of the native marine gel network and a new type of electrochemical signals of individual gel microparticles in seawater. Gel microparticles in seawater are selectively detected through specific amperometric signals using a dropping mercury electrode (DME) as a sensor. We have demonstrated that organic microparticles naturally present in Northern Adriatic seawater can be detected as single particles and sorted at the DME/seawater interface according to their hydrophobicity and supramolecular organization.