Bi-Enzymatic Conductometric Biosensor for Detection of Heavy Metal Ions and Pesticides in Water Samples Based on Enzymatic Inhibition in <i>Arthrospira platensis</i>

Abstract

An original bi-enzymatic biosensor was designed by immobilizing Arthrospira platensis cells, called Spirulina, on gold interdigitated transducers. Phosphatase and esterase activities were inhibited, respectively, by heavy metals and by pesticides. Inhibition activities were observed with different mixtures of pesticides + heavy metals. The quantification limits for Cd 2+ and Hg 2+ are 10 - 20 M in mixture and in pure solution. The quantification limits of parathion-methyl, paraoxon-methyl and triazine are respectively 10 - 20 M, 10 - 18 M and 10 - 20 M in mixture and pure solutions. These results show that there is no synergistic effect between the two families of pollutants. Qualitative contamination of effluent samples and their purification after passing through a municipal wastewater treatment plant were observed by our bi-enzymatic biosensor and confirmed by classical analytical techniques for heavy metal ions.