Label-free capacitive diagnostics: exploiting local redox probe state occupancy.

An electrode surface confined redox group contributes to a substantial potential-dependent interfacial charging that can be sensitively probed and frequency-resolved by impedance-derived capacitance spectroscopy. In utilizing the sensitivity of this charging fingerprint to redox group environment, one can seek to generate derived sensory configurations. Exemplified here through the generation of mixed molecular films comprising ferrocene and antibody receptors to two clinically important targets, the label-free methodology is able to report on human prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP), a tumor marker, with a limit of detection of 11 pM and C-reactive protein with a limit of detection of 28 pM. Both assays exhibit linear ranges encompassing those of clinical value.

Label free redox capacitive biosensing.

A surface confined redox group contributes to an interfacial charging (quantifiable by redox capacitance) that can be sensitively probed by impedance derived capacitance spectroscopy. In generating mixed molecular films comprising such redox groups, together with specific recognition elements (here antibodies), this charging signal is able to sensitively transduce the recognition and binding of specific analytes. This novel transduction method, exemplified here with C-reactive protein, an important biomarker of cardiac status and general trauma, is equally applicable to any suitably prepared interfacial combination of redox reporter and receptor. The assays are label free, ultrasensitive, highly specific and accompanied by a good linear range.