Belgian research firm Imec and its research and development unit HolstCentre recently demonstrated a single-chip electrochemical sensor prototype that can be used to simultaneously detect multiple ions in a fluid. This universal platform is composed of conductive ink, hydrogel and ion-selective membrane, tailor-made for specific applications. Depending on the number of sensors integrated, the chip expands to about 10x10mm size. The ion-selective membrane can be adjusted according to the obtained ionophore to selectively bind desired ions and create a potential, which is then detected by a sensor chip. Researchers have been able to miniaturize the concept prototype by incorporating multiple thin films on a single sensor chip to further extend the sensor's ion detection capabilities. The new sensor chip enables high-efficiency and low-cost detection, for example, agricultural applications and water quality testing in the surface and wastewater concentrations of nutrients. And in healthcare and lifestyle applications, it offers a one-time PoC solution, or it can be integrated into a patch for a more comfortable solution. Depending on application and form factor, the chip prototype can be mass-produced through micromachining or screen-printed on low-cost substrates such as glass or plastic foils, making the solution a better solution than today's The ion sensor is smaller and more cost competitive. The prototype currently being demonstrated is a hand-held device that integrates single-chip sensors with different electrodes and can be used to detect different pH values ​​between 2 and 10 with an accuracy of 0.1pH. As for the chemical elements such as chlorine (Cl-), sodium (Na +), potassium (K +) and nitrate (NO3-) in the range of 10-4M to 1M, the accuracy of the sensor chip prototype is 10%. In addition, it can be used to measure other single-ion sensors, the researchers found, the sensor prototype is comparable in sensitivity and accuracy of multi-ion sensor solutions. Compile: SusanHong