대학홍보
이혜진 교수팀, 발암성 대기오염 물질 한 번에 찾는 초소형 센서 개발
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- 2026-04-16 13:47
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- 2026-04-16 ~ 2031-04-30
화학과 이혜진 교수팀이 공기 중에 떠다니는 발암물질을 한 번에 찾아낼 수 있는 초소형 센서를 개발했다. 손톱만 한 약 1cm 크기의 센서 칩으로, 빠르고 간편하게 대기오염 물질을 측정할 수 있는 것이 특징이다.
눈에 보이지 않는 미세먼지 속에는 우리의 건강을 위협하는 발암물질들이 숨어 있다. 특히 벤조[a]피렌, 피렌, 플루오렌과 같은 다환방향족탄화수소(PAHs)는 함께 발견되는 경우가 많아 이를 동시에 정확히 측정하는 것이 중요하다. 하지만 이들 물질은 서로 구조가 매우 비슷하고 대기 중 농도가 낮아, 기존의 고가의 대형 분석 장비 없이는 현장에서 여러 성분을 동시에 정확히 구분해내기 어려운 한계가 있었다.
이 교수팀은 이 문제를 해결하기 위해 전기 전도성이 뛰어난 ‘탄소 나노튜브’와 화학 반응을 돕는 촉매 역할의 ‘세륨 산화물’, 그리고 이들을 견고하게 부착시키는 ‘폴리도파민’을 활용해 새로운 나노 소재를 개발하고, 이를 손톱만 한 크기의 전극 칩에 코팅해 센서를 완성했다. 이 센서는 공기 중 유해물질에 반응할 때마다 각각 다른 산화반응 신호를 만들어내기 때문에, 한 번만 측정해도 여러 물질을 동시에 구분해낼 수 있다.
성능 검증 결과, 이 센서는 벤조[a]피렌 0.22 μM(마이크로몰), 피렌 0.08 μM, 플루오렌 5.55 μM라는 낮은 농도까지 감지해냈다. 이는 낮은 농도에서도 물질을 구분할 수 있는 수준의 민감도를 확보했음을 의미한다고 연구팀은 설명했다.
특히 복잡한 분석 장비 없이도 측정이 가능해 현장 활용 가능성이 있다는 점에서 실용성이 크다. 연구팀이 서울과 대전의 도심 및 도로 환경에서 채취한 공기 시료에 센서를 적용한 결과, 다양한 성분이 포함된 환경에서도 안정적으로 작동하며 측정이 가능함을 확인했다.
이혜진 교수는 “이번 기술은 현장에서 신속하게 한 번의 측정만으로 여러 유해물질을 동시에 확인할 수 있다는 점에서 의미가 크다. 앞으로는 누구나 일상에서 공기 질을 실시간으로 확인할 수 있는 시대가 열릴 것으로 기대한다.”라고 밝혔다.
연구 결과는 분석화학 분야의 국제학술지인 ACS 센서스(ACS Sensors, JCR 상위 3.2% 이내)에 4월 7일 온라인으로 게재됐다. 이번 연구는 한국연구재단의 기초연구실 지원사업과 중견연구자지원사업의 지원을 받아 수행됐다. 교신저자는 화학과 이혜진 교수와 경북대 기초학문융합연구원 첼라두라이 카루피아(Chelladurai Karuppiah) 연구교수이며, 제1저자는 화학과 파우잔 아민(Fauzan Amin) 박사과정생이다.
한편, 이혜진 교수는 현재 경북대 기초학문융합연구원 참여교수로, 웰빙 연구유닛을 이끌며 스마트 웰빙에 관한 연구를 진행하고 있다.
Professor Hyejin Lee’s Team Develops Ultra-Compact Sensor for Simultaneous Detection of Carcinogenic Air Pollutants
A research team led by Professor Hyejin Lee from the KNU Department of Chemistry has developed an ultra-compact sensor capable of detecting multiple carcinogenic substances in the air simultaneously. About the size of a fingernail (approximately 1 cm), this sensor chip enables the fast and convenient measurement of air pollutants.
Invisible fine particulate matter contains hidden carcinogens that pose serious risks to human health. In particular, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as benzo[a]pyrene, pyrene, and fluorene are often found together, making it crucial to measure them simultaneously and accurately. However, due to their very similar structures and low concentrations in the air, until now it has been difficult to distinguish multiple components accurately in the field without expensive and bulky analytical equipment.
To address this challenge, Professor Lee’s team developed a new nanomaterial by combining highly conductive carbon nanotubes, cerium oxide (a catalyst to facilitate chemical reactions), and polydopamine, which firmly binds these materials together. This nanomaterial was then coated onto a fingernail-sized electrode chip to create the sensor. The sensor generates distinct oxidation signals in response to different harmful substances in the air, allowing multiple compounds to be identified simultaneously with a single measurement.
Performance tests showed that the sensor could detect very low concentrations: 0.22 μM for benzo[a]pyrene, 0.08 μM for pyrene, and 5.55 μM for fluorene. According to the research team, this demonstrates a level of sensitivity sufficient to distinguish substances even at low concentrations.
Notably, the sensor does not require complex analytical equipment, making it highly practical for on-site use. When applied to air samples collected from urban and roadside environments in Seoul and Daejeon, the sensor operated reliably and successfully measured multiple components, even in complex conditions.
Professor Lee remarked, “This technology is significant in that it allows multiple hazardous substances to be identified simultaneously with a single, rapid measurement in the field. We expect that it will pave the way for an era in which anyone can monitor air quality in real time in their daily lives.”
The research findings were published April 7 online in ACS Sensors, an international journal in the field of analytical chemistry (ranked within the top 3.2% by JCR). This study was supported by the Basic Research Laboratory Program and the Mid-Career Researcher Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea. The corresponding authors are Professor Hyejin Lee of the KNU Department of Chemistry and Research Professor Chelladurai Karuppiah of the Institute for Basic Science Convergence at KNU. The first author is Fauzan Amin, a Ph.D. candidate in the KNU Department of Chemistry.
Meanwhile, Professor Hyejin Lee is currently a participating faculty member at the Institute for Basic Science Convergence at KNU, where she leads the Well-Being Research Unit and conducts research on smart well-being.
*Title of original paper: A Single CeO2/Polydopamine/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Hybrid Sensing Platform for Concurrent Voltammetric Monitoring of Benzo[a]pyrene, Pyrene, and Fluorene in Particulate Matter
*Abstract
Achieving concurrent detection of high-priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in particulate matter (PM) using a single sensing platform remains challenging due to their low abundance, structural similarity, and coexistence in complex environmental matrices. Herein, we present a first voltammetric sensing platform, enabling simultaneous determination of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), pyrene (Pyr), and fluorene (Fluo) using a single-chip screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) modified with polydopamine (PDA)-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) decorated with CeO2 nanospheres. Structural and compositional features of the composite were investigated using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The MWCNT/PDA/CeO2/SPCE exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity toward the direct oxidation of BaP, Pyr, and Fluo in a methanol/water electrolyte containing LiClO4. This enhanced performance arises from the synergistic effects, including hydrophobic interactions, π−π stacking, efficient PAH adsorption, and improved electron-transfer kinetics. The sensor enabled simultaneous determination of BaP, Pyr, and Fluo with wide linear ranges (0.5−12, 0.1−10, and 7−60 μM, respectively), high sensitivities (6.99, 9.17, and 1.24 μA/μM, respectively), and low detection limits (0.22, 0.08, and 5.55 μM, respectively), along with excellent reproducibility (RSD < 4%) and selectivity against structurally similar PAHs. The practical applicability of the sensor was demonstrated by applying it to PM samples collected from on-road and different urban environments, which were fortified with known concentrations of the target analytes, yielding recoveries of 91.4−107.5% and confirming reliable performance in complex airborne matrices. Overall, the MWCNT/PDA/CeO2/SPCE platform enables a robust, sensitive, and selective strategy for simultaneous monitoring of multiple PAHs in environmental samples.
*Journal: ACS Sensors
*Web Link: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssensors.5c04813
<사진 왼쪽부터 이혜진 교수, 첼라두라이 카루피아 연구교수, 파우잔 아민 박사과정생>
눈에 보이지 않는 미세먼지 속에는 우리의 건강을 위협하는 발암물질들이 숨어 있다. 특히 벤조[a]피렌, 피렌, 플루오렌과 같은 다환방향족탄화수소(PAHs)는 함께 발견되는 경우가 많아 이를 동시에 정확히 측정하는 것이 중요하다. 하지만 이들 물질은 서로 구조가 매우 비슷하고 대기 중 농도가 낮아, 기존의 고가의 대형 분석 장비 없이는 현장에서 여러 성분을 동시에 정확히 구분해내기 어려운 한계가 있었다.
이 교수팀은 이 문제를 해결하기 위해 전기 전도성이 뛰어난 ‘탄소 나노튜브’와 화학 반응을 돕는 촉매 역할의 ‘세륨 산화물’, 그리고 이들을 견고하게 부착시키는 ‘폴리도파민’을 활용해 새로운 나노 소재를 개발하고, 이를 손톱만 한 크기의 전극 칩에 코팅해 센서를 완성했다. 이 센서는 공기 중 유해물질에 반응할 때마다 각각 다른 산화반응 신호를 만들어내기 때문에, 한 번만 측정해도 여러 물질을 동시에 구분해낼 수 있다.
성능 검증 결과, 이 센서는 벤조[a]피렌 0.22 μM(마이크로몰), 피렌 0.08 μM, 플루오렌 5.55 μM라는 낮은 농도까지 감지해냈다. 이는 낮은 농도에서도 물질을 구분할 수 있는 수준의 민감도를 확보했음을 의미한다고 연구팀은 설명했다.
특히 복잡한 분석 장비 없이도 측정이 가능해 현장 활용 가능성이 있다는 점에서 실용성이 크다. 연구팀이 서울과 대전의 도심 및 도로 환경에서 채취한 공기 시료에 센서를 적용한 결과, 다양한 성분이 포함된 환경에서도 안정적으로 작동하며 측정이 가능함을 확인했다.
이혜진 교수는 “이번 기술은 현장에서 신속하게 한 번의 측정만으로 여러 유해물질을 동시에 확인할 수 있다는 점에서 의미가 크다. 앞으로는 누구나 일상에서 공기 질을 실시간으로 확인할 수 있는 시대가 열릴 것으로 기대한다.”라고 밝혔다.
연구 결과는 분석화학 분야의 국제학술지인 ACS 센서스(ACS Sensors, JCR 상위 3.2% 이내)에 4월 7일 온라인으로 게재됐다. 이번 연구는 한국연구재단의 기초연구실 지원사업과 중견연구자지원사업의 지원을 받아 수행됐다. 교신저자는 화학과 이혜진 교수와 경북대 기초학문융합연구원 첼라두라이 카루피아(Chelladurai Karuppiah) 연구교수이며, 제1저자는 화학과 파우잔 아민(Fauzan Amin) 박사과정생이다.
한편, 이혜진 교수는 현재 경북대 기초학문융합연구원 참여교수로, 웰빙 연구유닛을 이끌며 스마트 웰빙에 관한 연구를 진행하고 있다.
Professor Hyejin Lee’s Team Develops Ultra-Compact Sensor for Simultaneous Detection of Carcinogenic Air Pollutants
A research team led by Professor Hyejin Lee from the KNU Department of Chemistry has developed an ultra-compact sensor capable of detecting multiple carcinogenic substances in the air simultaneously. About the size of a fingernail (approximately 1 cm), this sensor chip enables the fast and convenient measurement of air pollutants.
Invisible fine particulate matter contains hidden carcinogens that pose serious risks to human health. In particular, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as benzo[a]pyrene, pyrene, and fluorene are often found together, making it crucial to measure them simultaneously and accurately. However, due to their very similar structures and low concentrations in the air, until now it has been difficult to distinguish multiple components accurately in the field without expensive and bulky analytical equipment.
To address this challenge, Professor Lee’s team developed a new nanomaterial by combining highly conductive carbon nanotubes, cerium oxide (a catalyst to facilitate chemical reactions), and polydopamine, which firmly binds these materials together. This nanomaterial was then coated onto a fingernail-sized electrode chip to create the sensor. The sensor generates distinct oxidation signals in response to different harmful substances in the air, allowing multiple compounds to be identified simultaneously with a single measurement.
Performance tests showed that the sensor could detect very low concentrations: 0.22 μM for benzo[a]pyrene, 0.08 μM for pyrene, and 5.55 μM for fluorene. According to the research team, this demonstrates a level of sensitivity sufficient to distinguish substances even at low concentrations.
Notably, the sensor does not require complex analytical equipment, making it highly practical for on-site use. When applied to air samples collected from urban and roadside environments in Seoul and Daejeon, the sensor operated reliably and successfully measured multiple components, even in complex conditions.
Professor Lee remarked, “This technology is significant in that it allows multiple hazardous substances to be identified simultaneously with a single, rapid measurement in the field. We expect that it will pave the way for an era in which anyone can monitor air quality in real time in their daily lives.”
The research findings were published April 7 online in ACS Sensors, an international journal in the field of analytical chemistry (ranked within the top 3.2% by JCR). This study was supported by the Basic Research Laboratory Program and the Mid-Career Researcher Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea. The corresponding authors are Professor Hyejin Lee of the KNU Department of Chemistry and Research Professor Chelladurai Karuppiah of the Institute for Basic Science Convergence at KNU. The first author is Fauzan Amin, a Ph.D. candidate in the KNU Department of Chemistry.
Meanwhile, Professor Hyejin Lee is currently a participating faculty member at the Institute for Basic Science Convergence at KNU, where she leads the Well-Being Research Unit and conducts research on smart well-being.
*Title of original paper: A Single CeO2/Polydopamine/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Hybrid Sensing Platform for Concurrent Voltammetric Monitoring of Benzo[a]pyrene, Pyrene, and Fluorene in Particulate Matter
*Abstract
Achieving concurrent detection of high-priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in particulate matter (PM) using a single sensing platform remains challenging due to their low abundance, structural similarity, and coexistence in complex environmental matrices. Herein, we present a first voltammetric sensing platform, enabling simultaneous determination of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), pyrene (Pyr), and fluorene (Fluo) using a single-chip screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) modified with polydopamine (PDA)-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) decorated with CeO2 nanospheres. Structural and compositional features of the composite were investigated using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The MWCNT/PDA/CeO2/SPCE exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity toward the direct oxidation of BaP, Pyr, and Fluo in a methanol/water electrolyte containing LiClO4. This enhanced performance arises from the synergistic effects, including hydrophobic interactions, π−π stacking, efficient PAH adsorption, and improved electron-transfer kinetics. The sensor enabled simultaneous determination of BaP, Pyr, and Fluo with wide linear ranges (0.5−12, 0.1−10, and 7−60 μM, respectively), high sensitivities (6.99, 9.17, and 1.24 μA/μM, respectively), and low detection limits (0.22, 0.08, and 5.55 μM, respectively), along with excellent reproducibility (RSD < 4%) and selectivity against structurally similar PAHs. The practical applicability of the sensor was demonstrated by applying it to PM samples collected from on-road and different urban environments, which were fortified with known concentrations of the target analytes, yielding recoveries of 91.4−107.5% and confirming reliable performance in complex airborne matrices. Overall, the MWCNT/PDA/CeO2/SPCE platform enables a robust, sensitive, and selective strategy for simultaneous monitoring of multiple PAHs in environmental samples.
*Journal: ACS Sensors
*Web Link: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssensors.5c04813
<사진 왼쪽부터 이혜진 교수, 첼라두라이 카루피아 연구교수, 파우잔 아민 박사과정생>
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