Abstract
A novel and specific detection system using voltage-stimulating ion transport through fig xylem/phloem vessels as a new lab-on-a xylem/phloem substrate was introduced. The voltage drove the ion flux through the vessels by a sinusoidal waveform with very low frequency (2.70 ± 0.05 kHz, n = 10) and voltage amplitude between 0.0 and 1.0 kV (vs total applied potential) with positive and negative polarities depending on cation and anion separation, respectively. The recorded potential induced by the applied potential was considered as a fingerprint electrical potential stimulator during reliable recognition of different ionic species. The system possessed some different characteristics such as (i) prominent figures of merit with linear ranges between 5.0 and 1200.0 (±0.7, n = 10) ng mL-1 (correlation coefficient, R 2, >0.99) for each ionic species and (ii) improved detection limits via tracing electrical current and conductance gradient (as the sensitive detection systems), while testing 50.0 ng mL-1 of different salts as cationic and anionic species. The reliability of the system was evidenced via focusing on at least 60 independent cationic and anionic species during introducing a 70-membered distinct array-based bio-substrate device. This process not only showed great method applicability for specific determination with acceptable figures of merit but also resulted in introducing a software database for direct detection and recognition of various ionic analyses. The introduced detection/separation device competed with other spectroscopic/electrochemical systems due to the specific and simultaneous recognition of great ranges of ionic species in different real samples at ultratrace levels.