Organic material-based, next-generation nanozyme for effective agricultural biomolecule sensing

Lee, Dong Hoon

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129659 Copy

Description

Title

Organic material-based, next-generation nanozyme for effective agricultural biomolecule sensing

Author(s)

Lee, Dong Hoon

Issue Date

2025-01-31

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Kamruzzaman, Mohammed

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Kamruzzaman, Mohammed

Committee Member(s)

• Zhang, Yuanhui
• Irudayaraj, Joseph
• Yigit, Mehmet

Department of Study

Engineering Administration

Discipline

Agricultural & Biological Engr

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• ORGANIC MATERIAL-BASED, NEXT-GENERATION NANOZYME
• AGRICULTURAL BIOMOLECULE SENSING

Abstract

Nanozyme (Nanomaterial-based enzyme mimetics) is one of the emerging nanomaterials developed in the late 2000s that possess enzyme-like catalytic properties. The advancement of nanozymes has diversified their categories and broadened their utilization across various disciplines over the past decade. However, most of the conventional nanozymes are made from inorganic materials which are relatively less sustainable to be directly implemented in such disciplines, including agriculture and food. To overcome the chronic drawbacks of these conventional nanozymes, a novel concept, the ‘organic material-based nanozyme (organic nanozyme),’ has actively emerged in the early 2020s. These organic nanozyme partially resolve the drawbacks of the inorganic nanozyme by possessing enhanced sustainability. As these are in an early stage, primitive examples of organic nanozymes are consistently introduced, which cannot yet be implemented for agricultural uses. Therefore, further investigation is desired to develop suitable, sustainable nanozymes for agriculture. In this doctoral dissertation, the research output of the investigation of next-generation, sustainable organic nanozymes was comprehensively illustrated. I revisited eco-friendly, agricultural organic materials to explore their value and actively incorporate them into generating organic nanozymes through customized fabrication methodologies. These nanozymes proved their sustainable properties, including biocompatibility and degradability. Furthermore, these organic material-based nanozymes are incorporated with the integrated colorimetric biomolecule sensing platform, providing their capability for effective agricultural biomolecule detections. These sensing platforms proved their analytic performance, therefore, proving their potential for further contributions to agricultural and food safety. In conclusion, this doctoral dissertation research focused on the conceptualization and development of novel organic-material-based, next-generation nanozymes and their corresponding application system for agricultural biomolecule detection via customized colorimetric sensing platforms. Chapter 1 provides the general overview of the dissertation research, demonstrating the motivation and the specific aims. Chapter 2 reviews the recent trends in the advancement of the organic material-based nanozyme. Chapter 3 demonstrates the pioneering examples of organic-compound-based nanozyme (OC nanozyme), and its corresponding application of agricultural herbicide sensing via a customized colorimetric sensing platform. From this chapter, the double-chelation-based nanozyme fabrication methods are introduced, which overcome the drawback of the conventional inorganic nanozyme fabrication procedure. Chapter 4 focuses on the expanded example of OC nanozyme, by development of Polymer/monomer-based nanozyme (PM nanozyme) and integrated colorimetric sensing system for effective food biomolecule (e.g., antioxidant) detection. The degradability of the PM nanozyme was illustrated in this chapter, exhibiting their potential benefits for the prevention of pollution issues after its use. Chapters 5 and 6 demonstrate the second generation of the OC and PM nanozymes(called EU/EA), prepared by modified nanozyme fabrication methods using single-chelation/polymer entanglement methods. The smaller nanozyme (physical diameter) was successfully fabricated, and these nanozymes incorporated sensing systems were utilized for designated agricultural biomolecule detections, including toxins and another agricultural herbicide (e.g., atrazine). These enzymes also exhibit their sustainable properties (having degradability and biocompatibility), which prove their benefits in real-world implementation including agricultural domains. Chapter 7 focuses on the expanded version of the organic nanozyme, made by biological materials(e.g., amino acid) and sustainable polymers(OA nanozyme). Their corresponding histamine sensing system has decent analytic sensitivity, and selectivity (with specificity), and proves their potential molecule sensing in real food samples. Chapter 8 demonstrates the user-friendly, sustainable nanozyme-based, Point-of-Use on-demand agricultural and biological molecule sensing platform. The degradable, consolidated organic nanozyme (OM nanozyme) was first introduced, and their integration with the paper microfluidic-based hardware is established for effective agricultural and biomolecule detection in a potential lab-free environment. These sensing platforms’ analytical performance was validated by compassion with the conventional analytic tools, highlighting their potential capabilities for direct implementation in the agricultural environment. Chapter 9 provides a pioneering example of the self-assembled, non-harsh chemical engineering method-based; 3D Rose flower-like nanostructure (Rose-like nanozyme, abbreviated to RL nanozyme) possessing enzyme-like catalytic properties. These unique architectures partially resolve the chronic drawback of traditional ‘nanoflowers’ but highlight their sustainable outlook by having competitive enzyme-like catalytic activity. Chapter 10 reviews the findings of chapters 3-9 holistically as a concluding remark and provides possible suggestions for further research. Collectively, these studies established a pioneering example of an agriculture-centered, organic material-based nanozyme and its integrated agricultural biomolecule sensing system, which may significantly contribute to the fields of organic nanozymes and biosensing applications in agricultural domains.

Graduation Semester

2025-05

Type of Resource

Thesis

Handle URL

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129659

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2025 Dong Hoon Lee

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