Biomimetic laser-induced graphene fern leaf and enzymatic biosensor for pesticide spray collection and monitoring†

Monitoring of pesticide concentration distribution across farm fields is crucial to ensure precise and efficient application while preventing overuse or untreated areas. Inspired by nature's wettability patterns, we developed a biomimetic fern leaf pesticide collection patch using laser-induced graphene (LIG) alongside an external electrochemical LIG biosensor. This “collect-and-sense” system allows for rapid pesticide spray monitoring in the farm field. The LIG is synthesized and patterned on polyimide through a high-throughput gantry-based CO₂ laser process, making it amenable to scalable manufacturing. The resulting LIG-based leaf exhibits a remarkable water collection capacity, harvesting spray mist/fog at a rate approximately 11 times greater than a natural ostrich fern leaf when the collection is normalized to surface area. The developed three-electrode LIG pesticide biosensor, featuring a working electrode functionalized with electrodeposited platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) and the enzyme glycine oxidase, displayed a linear range of 10–260 μM, a detection limit of 1.15 μM, and a sensitivity of 5.64 nA μM⁻¹ for the widely used herbicide glyphosate. Also, a portable potentiostat with a user-friendly interface was developed for remote operation, achieving an accuracy of up to 97%, when compared to a standard commercial benchtop potentiostat. The LIG “collect-and-sense” system can consistently collect and monitor glyphosate spray after 24–48 hours of spraying, a time that corresponds to the restricted-entry interval required to enter most farm fields after pesticide spraying. Hence, this innovative “collect-and-sense” system not only advances precision agriculture by enabling monitoring and mapping of pesticide distribution but also holds the potential to significantly reduce environmental impact, enhance crop management practices, and contribute to the sustainable and efficient use of agrochemicals in modern agriculture.