Application of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and modeling of the novel equivalent circuit for monitoring cellular tissues

Application of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analytical theory for characterizing cellular tissues and cell membrane activities was investigated. Direct observation of ions in the plant cells was the main focus of the research. A new equivalent circuit is presented for cellular tissues; it involves a non-uniform “capacitance-like element,” called ‘constant phase element’. The proposed circuit model is based on an accurate understanding of the in situ plant observation using EIS measurements. Additionally, the growing conditions of the plant were experimentally monitored using EIS. We noted  that the time dependence of our circuit model could be used to evaluate the non-uniformity of the interfacial polarization of the cell membrane through EIS, using non-destructive surface-contact electrodes. Although further investigations are still required, the results indicate that the proposed equivalent circuit may reveal the dynamics of plants and be useful for non-destructive plant monitoring.