Image: Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a new peptide sensor that uses polymer classification to detect dissolved polymer contaminants in wastewater through supervised machine learning. The research results will be published on the cover of the supplement of the journal. see more
Image source: Toshiki Sawada of Tokyo Institute of Technology
Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a peptide sensor to detect water-soluble polymers in wastewater, which is the same as microplastics as a major contributor to pollution. The new technology uses the bonding between peptides and different polymers to train machine learning algorithms that can identify and quantify a large number of contaminants in a single solution.
From dying coral reefs to declining fish populations, ocean pollution caused by plastics is increasingly receiving global attention. Most of the recent discussions on plastic pollution have revolved around microplastics, which are microplastics that are extremely difficult to remove from water. However, people are increasingly interested in water-soluble synthetic polymers as marine pollution sources, especially the risks they pose to the soil and water environment. Because they are water-soluble, they cannot be recycled using normal filtration techniques. The development of alternative methods to remove these contaminants is key. Therefore, understanding the exact nature of water-soluble polymer pollutants and quantifying their content in wastewater has become the focus of researchers.
Polymers are long-chain chemicals composed of smaller repeating units. Although they are rarely associated with the term, proteins can also be considered polymers because they are composed of thousands of subunits called "amino acids." These short chains of amino acids are called peptides. Peptides can interact specifically and non-specifically with molecules (eg polymers) in different ways and at different levels of affinity. In a new study published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, researchers at Tokyo Tech have used these interactions to develop a new peptide sensor for identifying water-soluble polymers in mixed solutions. "Our technology relies on the analysis of machine learning patterns that mimic mammalian odor and taste discrimination. Just like how our nose and tongue use a limited number of receptor proteins to distinguish countless odors and tastes, our single peptide sensor can also be used For detecting a variety of polymers and other molecules,” said Professor Takeshi Serizawa, who led the research.
The research team is based on a peptide that combines the technology with a synthetic polymer called poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM). Then, they introduced a fluorescent "tag" called N-(1-anilinonaphthyl-4)maleimide (ANM) into the peptide to help obtain signals for its different interactions. The fluorescence of ANM changes according to protein interactions, thereby emitting a detectable signal. Researchers measure the signal from ANM in known solution concentrations of different polymers and use it to train a "linear discriminant analysis" algorithm, a type of supervised machine learning (see Figure 1). Then they validated their technology with unknown samples and found that sensors and algorithms can identify polymers in the mixed solution. In addition, after adding a small amount of ethanol or sodium chloride to the solution to slightly change the chemical interaction, machine learning algorithms can distinguish polymers with similar properties. Finally, they tested the new peptide sensor and algorithm on actual wastewater, and confirmed its ability to detect different water-soluble polymers.
"Our technology can be used not only to detect macromolecular pollutants dissolved in water, such as polymers, but also to analyze how they enter the environment," said Dr. Serizawa. The research team further plans to extend the method to other peptides and polymers.
With such powerful research to help guide the direction, repairing and protecting our marine environment will soon become a reality!
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About Tokyo Institute of Technology
As Japan's leading university of science and technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology stands at the forefront of research and higher education. Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have performed well in various fields from materials science to biology, computer science and physics. Founded in 1881, Tokyo Institute of Technology receives more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students every year, who have developed into science leaders and some of the most popular engineers in the industry. The Tokyo Institute of Technology community embodies the Japanese philosophy of "monotsukuri", which means "technical originality and innovation", and is committed to contributing to society through high-impact research.
https://www.titech.ac.jp/english/
ACS Applied Materials and Interface
Identify water-soluble polymers by distinguishing multiple light signals from a single peptide sensor
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Copyright © 2021 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)