Highly sensitive and label free on-site monitoring immunosensor for detection of Aflatoxin B1 from real samples.

Aflatoxin B1 (AF-B1) are toxins secreted by secondary metabolites of molds that have adverse effects on humans and animals resulting in huge economic losses. Here we report on field useable, cost effective and direct electrochemical sensor based on conducting polymer composite electrode, Poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulphonic acid (PEDOT-PSS) for label-free detection of AF-B1. Structural and morphological characterization of composite electrodes were carried out using XRD and SEM. We compared two different electroanalytical techniques namely, transient capacitance and differential pulse voltammetry, to select the most prominent technique for analyzing the mycotoxin easily. For direct detection of AF-B1, transient capacitance measurement at 77 and 1000 Hz was employed wherein sensor showed linearity in 18.18-300.0 ng mL-1 range at 77 Hz for AF-B1. Best limit of detection (LOD) for AF-B1 was 55.41 ng mL-1 (369 pM) at 77 Hz with very good repeatability. DPV showed linearity in the range 18.18-342.85 ng mL-1 with LOD 435 pM. For demonstration of application of this sensor directly using minimum sample preparation, AF-B1 sensing has been confirmed successfully using white button mushrooms and okra stored at ambient conditions. Sensor response with real samples suggest usefulness of sensor to monitor stored farm products easily.

Microbial synthesis of antimony sulfide to prepare catechol and hydroquinone electrochemical sensor by pyrolysis and carbonization.

The application of antimony sulfide sensors, characterized by their exceptional stability and selectivity, is of emerging interest in detection research, and the integration of graphitized carbon materials is expected to further enhance their electrochemical performance. This study represents a pioneering effort in the synthesis of carbon-doped antimony sulfide materials through the pyrolysis of the mixture of microorganisms and their synthetic antimony sulfide. The prepared materials are subsequently applied to electrochemical sensors for monitoring the highly toxic compounds catechol (CC) and hydroquinone (HQ) in the environment. Via cyclic voltammetry (CV) and impedance testing, we concluded that the pyrolytic product at 700 °C (Sb-700) demonstrated the best electrochemical properties. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) revealed impressive separation when utilizing Sb-700/GCE for simultaneous detection of CC and HQ, exhibiting good linearity within the concentration range of 0.1-140 µM. The achieved sensitivities of 24.62 µA µM-1 cm-2 and 22.10 µA µM-1 cm-2 surpassed those of most CC and HQ electrochemical sensors. Meanwhile, the detection limits for CC and HQ were as low as 0.18 µM and 0.16 µM (S/N = 3), respectively. Additional tests confirmed the good selectivity, reproducibility, and long-term stability of Sb-700/GCE, which was effective in detecting CC and HQ in tap water and river water, with recovery rates of 100.7%-104.5% and 96.5%-101.4%, respectively. It provides a method that combines green microbial synthesis and simple pyrolysis for the preparation of electrode materials in CC and HQ electrochemical sensors, and also offers a new perspective for the application of microbial synthesized materials.

Novel ZIFs nanostructures electro-engineered at carbon fiber for the highly sensitive and selective detection of isoeugenol.

Novel zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), classical subtypes of metal organic frameworks (MOFs), and nanostructures are electro-engineered onto carbon fiber (CF), leading to a unique freestanding electrochemical platform of budlike nano Zn-ZIFs decorated CF (BN-Zn-ZIFs/CF). The unique morphology, structure, and composition are characterized by electron microscopy and energy spectrum analysis. Notably, the BN-Zn-ZIFs/CF platform displays superb electrocatalysis towards the oxidation of isoeugenol with encouragingly low overpotential and high current response. The strong electrocatalytic oxidation capability of BN-Zn-ZIFs/CF makes it an excellent sensing platform for isoeugenol detection. BN-Zn-ZIFs/CF sensor exhibits high-performance isoeugenol sensing with an extremely low limit of detection (13 nM) and wide detection range (0.1-700 µM). Besides, the BN-Zn-ZIFs/CF sensor can greatly resist interference from common ions, major biomolecules, and some amino acids. Moreover, excellent reliability, stability, and practicality are obtained. Our work demonstrates that the as-prepared BN-Zn-ZIFs/CF can act as an high-performance electrochemical sensor for the isoeugenol detection, the well-developed ZIF nanocrystal-modified conductive substrates can be a unique platform for the efficient sensing of other molecules, and the electrochemical engineering strategy can be an effective method for the growing of fresh MOF nanocrystals at conductive substrates in various electrochemical applications.

Copper-zinc nanoparticle-decorated nitrogen-doped carbon composite for electrochemical determination of triclosan.

A new sensor based on copper-zinc bimetal embedded and nitrogen-doped carbon-based composites (CuZn@NC) was prepared for triclosan (TCS) detection by pyrolyzing the precursor of Cu-Zn binuclear metal-organic framework (MOF). The performance for detecting TCS was evaluated using linear scanning voltammetry (LSV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and the proton and electron numbers during TCS oxidation have been proved to be one-to-one. The results indicated that CuZn@NC can present a satisfactory analysis performance for TCS detection. Under the optimized conditions, the linear response range was 0.2-600 µM and the detection limit was 47.9 nM. The sensor presented good stability (signal current dropped only 2.5% after 21 days) and good anti-interference of inorganic salts and small molecular organic acids. The good recovery (97.5-104.1%) for detecting spiked TCS in commercial products (toothpaste and hand sanitizer) suggested its potential for routine determination of TCS in real samples.

Development of highly sensitive electrochemical immunosensor using PPy-MoS2-based nanocomposites modified with 90 MeV C6+ ion beams.

The evaluation of electrochemical sensing activity of hydrothermally derived PPy-MoS2-based nanocomposites subjected to 90 MeV C6+ ion beam with fluence ranging, 1.0 × 1010-1.0 × 1013 ions/cm2, is reported. Cross-linking, chain scissioning, and ion track formation could occur in the irradiated systems, as revealed from Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) studies. Electrochemical studies, viz., cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were performed in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (PBS) containing 5 mM K3[Fe(CN)6] as redox probe. High redox activity, lower charge transfer resistance (Rct = 490 Ω) and larger electroactive area (A = 0.4485 cm2) were obtained in case of the composite system irradiated with a fluence of 3.5 × 1011 ions/cm2. Immunosensor fabrication was executed via immobilization of mouse IgG over the pristine and post-irradiated electrodes. Afterwards, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was performed within the potential window - 0.2 to + 0.6 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for the detection of specific analyte. Noticeably, the electrode system irradiated with a fluence of 3.5 × 1011 ions/cm2 is characterized by a lower limit of detection (LOD) of 0.203 nM and a higher sensitivity value of 10.0 µA mL ng-1 cm-2. The energetic particle irradiation at a modest fluence can offer beneficial effects to the PPy-MoS2-based nanohybrid system providing immense scope as advanced electrochemical biosensor.

Ratiometric electrochemical determination of hydroxyl radical based on graphite paper modified with metal-organic frameworks and impregnated with salicylic acid.

Hydroxyl radical (•OH) detection is pivotal in medicine, biochemistry and environmental chemistry. Yet, electrochemical method-specific detection is challenging because of hydroxyl radicals' high reactivity and short half-life. In this study, we aimed to modify the electrode surface with a specific recognition probe for •OH. To achieve this, we conducted a one-step hydrothermal process to fabricate a CoZnMOF bimetallic organic framework directly onto conductive graphite paper (Gp). Subsequently, we introduced salicylic acid (SA) and methylene blue (MB), which easily penetrated the pores of CoZnMOF. By selectively capturing •OH by SA and leveraging the electrochemical signal generated by the reaction product, we successfully developed an electrochemical sensor Gp/CoZnMOF/SA + MB. The prepared sensor exhibited a good linear relationship with •OH concentrations ranging from 1.25 to 1200 nM, with a detection limit of 0.2 nM. Additionally, the sensor demonstrated excellent reproducibility and accuracy due to the incorporation of an internal reference. It exhibited remarkable selectivity for •OH detection, unaffected by other electrochemically active substances. The establishment of this sensor provides a way to construct MOF-modified sensors for the selective detection of other reactive oxygen species (ROS), offering a valuable experimental basis for ROS-related disease research and environmental safety investigations.

Methylene blue-assisted molecularly-imprinted film modified nitrogen and sulfur co-doped molybdenum carbide for simultaneous electrochemical determination of two hepatotoxic drugs.

A novel electrochemical sensor with a dual-template molecular imprinting technology was fabricated for the simultaneous detection of paracetamol (PAR) and isoniazid (INZ). The sensor was constructed using nitrogen and sulfur co-doped molybdenum carbide (N, S@Mo2C) and a thin layer of electro-polymerized methylene blue was applied onto the surface of the N, S@Mo2C. The electrochemical sensor demonstrated remarkable analytical efficiency for the concurrent PAR and INZ quantification under optimal circumstances. The system achieved an exceptionally low limit of detection (S/N = 3) of  3.7 nM for PAR, with a concentration range  of  0.013 and 140 µM.  A LOD of 7.6 nM was attained for INZ, with a linear range  between 0.025 and 140 µM. Furthermore, the platform's selectivity was evaluated using differential pulse voltammetry  (DPV). The designed platform successfully detected PAR and INZ in authentic samples with recoveries varying between 98.3% and 104.9%. The relative standard deviations (RSD) for these measurements ranged from 2.7 to 4.0%, demonstrating that the proposed sensor is extremely stable, repeatable, and reproducible. These promising results suggest that the sensor holds potential for the detection of various (bio) molecules, paving the way for future applications in sensing fields.

Fe-MOF/AuNP-based ratiometric electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of deoxynivalenol in grain products.

A ratiometric assay was designed to improve the sensitivity and reliability of electrochemical immunosensors for deoxynivalenol (DON) detection. The indicator signal caused by the Fe-based metal-organic framework nanocomposites loaded with gold nanoparticles and the internal reference signal from the [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- in the electrolyte came together at the immunosensor. When immunoreactivity occurred, the indicator signals decreased as the concentration of DON increased, while the internal reference signals increased slightly. The ratio of the indicator signal to the internal reference signal was available for reproducible and sensitive monitoring of DON. The prepared immunosensor showed excellent performance in the range from 0.5 to 5000 pg mL-1, and the detection limit was 0.0166 pg mL-1. The immunosensor achieved satisfactory detection toward DON in spiked and actual samples and has a promising application in the control of DON in grain products.

Point-of-care dengue detection: polydopamine-modified electrode for rapid NS1 protein testing for clinical samples.

Early diagnosis of dengue infection by detecting the dengue virus non-structural protein 1 (DENV-NS1) is important to the patients to initiate speedy treatment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based NS1 detection and RT-PCR are time-consuming and too complex to be employed in remote areas of dengue-endemic countries. Meanwhile, those of NS1 rapid test by lateral flow assay suffer from low detection limit. Electrochemical-based biosensors using screen-printed gold electrodes (SPGEs) have become a reliable detection method to convey both ELISA's high sensitivity and rapid test portability. In this research, we developed an electrochemical biosensor for DENV-NS1 detection by employing polydopamine (PDA)-modified SPGE. The electrodeposition of PDA on the surface of SPGE serves as a bioconjugation avenue for anti-NS1 antibody through a simple and low-cost immobilization procedure. The biosensor performance was evaluated to detect DENV-NS1 protein in PBS and human serum through a differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) technique. The developed sensing platform displayed a low limit of detection (LOD) of 1.63 pg mL-1 and a wide linear range of 10 pg mL-1 to 1 ng mL-1 (R2 ∼ 0.969). The sensing platform also detected DEV-NS1 from four different serotypes in the clinical samples collected from dengue patients in India and Indonesia, with acceptable sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy values of 90.00%, 80.95%, and 87.65%, respectively. This result showcased the facile and versatile method of PDA coating onto the surface of screen-printed gold electrodes for a miniaturized point-of-care (PoC) detection device.

A CRISPR-Cas12a-based electrochemical biosensor for the detection of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor.

A novel electrochemical biosensor that combines the CRISPR-Cas12a system with a gold electrode is reported for the rapid and sensitive detection of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). The biosensor consists of a gold electrode modified with DNA1, which contains the target sequence of MITF and is labeled with ferrocene, an electroactive molecule. The biosensor also includes hairpin DNA, which has a binding site for MITF and can hybridize with helper DNA to form a double-stranded complex that activates CRISPR-Cas12a. When MITF is present, it binds to hairpin DNA and prevents its hybridization with helper DNA, thus inhibiting CRISPR-Cas12a activity and preserving the DPV signal of ferrocene. When MITF is absent, hairpin DNA hybridizes with helper DNA and activates CRISPR-Cas12a, which cleaves DNA1 and releases ferrocene, thus reducing the DPV signal. The biosensor can detect MITF with high sensitivity (with an LOD of 8.14 fM), specificity, and accuracy in various samples, such as cell nuclear extracts and human serum. The biosensor can also diagnose and monitor melanocyte-related diseases and melanin production. This work provides a simple, fast, sensitive, and cost-effective biosensor for MITF detection and a valuable tool for applications in genetic testing, disease diagnosis, and drug screening.

A PEDOT: PSS/GO fiber microelectrode fabricated by microfluidic spinning for dopamine detection in human serum and PC12 cells.

Rapid and accurate in situ determination of dopamine is of great significance in the study of neurological diseases. In this work, poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly (styrenesulfonic acid) (PEDOT: PSS)/graphene oxide (GO) fibers were fabricated by an effective method based on microfluidic wet spinning technology. The composite microfibers with stratified and dense arrangement were continuously prepared by injecting PEDOT: PSS and GO dispersion solutions into a microfluidic chip. PEDOT: PSS/GO fiber microelectrodes with high electrochemical activity and enhanced electrochemical oxidation activity of dopamine were constructed by controlling the structure composition of the microfibers with varying flow rate. The fabricated fiber microelectrode had a low detection limit (4.56 nM) and wide detection range (0.01-8.0 µM) for dopamine detection with excellent stability, repeatability, and reproducibility. In addition, the PEDOT: PSS/GO fiber microelectrode prepared was successfully used for the detection of dopamine in human serum and PC12 cells. The strategy for the fabrication of multi-component fiber microelectrodes is a new and effective approach for monitoring the intercellular neurotransmitter dopamine and has high potential as an implantable neural microelectrode.

Proving the automatic benchtop electrochemical station for the development of dopamine and paracetamol sensors.

The introduced work represents an implementation of the automatic benchtop electrochemical station (BES) as an effective tool for the possibilities of high-throughput preparation of modified sensor/biosensors, speeding up the development of the analytical method, and automation of the analytical procedure for the determination of paracetamol (PAR) and dopamine (DOP) as target analytes. Within the preparation of gold nanoparticles modified screen-printed carbon electrode (AuNPs-SPCE) by electrodeposition, the deposition potential EDEP, the deposition time tDEP, and the concentration of HAuCl4 were optimized and their influence was monitored on 1 mM [Ru(NH3)6]3+/2+ redox probe and 50 µM DOP. The morphology of the AuNPs-SPCE prepared at various modification conditions was observed by SEM. The analytical performance of the AuNPs-SPCE prepared at different modification conditions was evaluated by a construction of the calibration curves of DOP and PAR. SPCE and AuNPs-SPCE at modification condition providing the best sensitivity to PAR and DOP, were successfully used to determine PAR and DOP in tap water by "spike-recovery" approach. The BES yields better reproducibility of the preparation of AuNPs-SPCE (RSD = 3.0%) in comparison with the case when AuNPs-SPCE was prepared manually by highly skilled laboratory operator (RSD = 7.0%).

Cubic Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 nanoperovskite significantly expands the application of sensitive immunosensor for the detection of carcinoembryonic antigen.

Nanosized sodium bismuth perovskite titanate (NBT) was synthesized and first used as the electrochemical immune sensing platform for the sensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) grew on the surface of NBT through forming Au-N bond to obtain Au@NBT, and a label-free electrochemical immunosensor was proposed using Au@NBT as an immunosensing recognizer towards CEA. The well-ordered crystal structure of NBT was not changed at all after the modification of Au NPs outside, but significantly improved the conductivity, catalytic activity, and biocompatibility of the Au@NBT-modified electrode. The unique cubic crystal nanostructure of NBT offered a large active area for both Au NP modification and the subsequent immobilization of biomolecules over the electrode surface, triggering the effective generation of promising properties of the proposed Au@NBT-based electrochemical immunosensor. As expected, favorable detection performances were achieved using this immunosensor towards CEA detection, where a good linear relationship between the current response and CEA concentration was obtained in the concentration range 10 fg mL-1 to 100 ng mL-1 with a low detection limit (LOD) of 13.17 fg mL-1. Also, the significantly enhanced selectivity, and stability guaranteed the promising electrochemical properties of this immunosensor. Furthermore, the analysis of real serum samples verified the high feasibility of this new method in clinical CEA detection. This work opens a new window for the application of nanoperovskite in the early detection of CEA.

A novel dual-signal output strategy for POCT of CEA based on a smartphone electrochemical aptasensing platform.

A smartphone-based electrochemical aptasensing platform was developed for the point-of-care testing (POCT) of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) based on the ferrocene (Fc) and PdPt@PCN-224 dual-signal labeled strategy. The prepared PdPt@PCN-224 nanocomposite showed a strong catalytic property for the reduction of H2O2. Phosphate group-labeled aptamer could capture PdPt@PCN-224 by Zr-O-P bonds to form PdPt@PCN-224-P-Apt. Therefore, a dual signal labeled probe was formed by the hybridization between Fc-DNA and PdPt@PCN-224-P-Apt. The presence of CEA forced PdPt@PCN-224-P-Apt to leave the electrode surface due to the specific affinity, leading to the decrease of the reduction current of H2O2. At the same time, the Fc-DNA strand changed to hairpin structure, which made Fc closer to the electrode and resulted in the increase of the oxidation current of Fc. Thus, CEA can be accurately determined through both signals: the decrease of H2O2 reduction current and the increase of Fc oxidation current, which could avoid the false positive signal. Under the optimal conditions, the prepared aptasensor exhibited a wide linear range from 1 pg·mL-1 to 100 ng·mL-1 and low detection limits of 0.98 pg·mL-1 and 0.27 pg·mL-1 with Fc and PdPt@PCN-224 as signal labels, respectively. The aptasensor developed in this study has successfully demonstrated its capability to detect CEA in real human serum samples. These findings suggest that the proposed sensing platform will hold great potential for clinical tumor diagnosis and monitoring.

Hydrangea-like TiO2/Bi2MoO6 porous nanoflowers triggering highly sensitive electrochemical immunosensing to tumor marker.

Rapid and sensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is of great significance for cancer patients. Here, molybdenum (Mo) was doped into bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) by one-pot hydrothermal method forming porous tremella Bi2MoO6 nanocomposites with a larger specific surface area than the spherical structure. Then, a new kind of hydrangea-like TiO2/Bi2MoO6 porous nanoflowers (NFs) was prepared by doping titanium into Bi2MoO6, where titanium dioxide (TiO2) grew in situ on the surface of Bi2MoO6 nanoparticles (NPs). The hydrangea-like structure provides larger specific surface area, higher electron transfer ability and biocompatibility as well as more active sites conducive to the attachment of anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (anti-CEA) to TiO2/Bi2MoO6 NFs. A novel label-free electrochemical immunosensor was then constructed for the quantitative detection of CEA using TiO2/Bi2MoO6 NFs as sensing platform, showing a good linear relationship with CEA in the concentration range 1.0 pg/mL ~ 1.0 mg/mL and a detection limit of 0.125 pg/mL (S/N = 3). The results achieved with the designed immunosensor are comparable with many existing immunosensors used for the detection of CEA in real samples.

One-step solvent thermal synthesis of 3D networked MOF composites for preparation of an ultrasensitive chemosensor for hydroquinone and catechol.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have a significant impact on the environment and human health, due to their sometimes toxic and carcinogenic characteristics. Therefore, an innovative chemosensor was constructed for ultrasensitive determination of two typical PCCPs (hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CC)) in several minutes. The homemade chemosensor (UiO-67@GO/MWCNTs) consisted of MOF(UiO-67), graphene oxide (GO), and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composites; it was a networked, structurally sparse, porosity-rich, homogeneous octahedral composite, and had ultra-high electrical conductivity, which provided lots of active adsorption sites, promote charge transfer, and enrich lots of molecules to be measured in a few minutes. The prepared electrochemical sensor showed good long-term stability, applicability, reproducibility, and immunity to interference for the determination of HQ and CC, with a wide linear range of response of 5.0 ~ 940 µM for both HQ and CC, and a low limit of detection with satisfactory recoveries. In addition, a new strategy of using MOF composites as the basis for electrochemical determination of organic small molecules was established, and a new platform was constructed for the quantitative determination of organic small molecules in various environmental samples.

Gold nanoparticles-doped MXene heterostructure for ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of fumonisin B1 and ampicillin.

Early transition metal carbides (MXene) hybridized by precious metals open a door for innovative electrochemical biosensing device design. Herein, we present a facile one-pot synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)-doped two-dimensional (2D) titanium carbide MXene nanoflakes (Ti3C2Tx/Au). Ti3C2Tx MXene exhibits high electrical conductivity and yields synergistic signal amplification in conjunction with AuNPs leading to excellent electrochemical performance. Thus Ti3C2Tx/Au hybrid nanostructure can be used as an electrode platform for the electrochemical analysis of various targets. We used screen-printed electrodes modified with the Ti3C2Tx/Au electrode and functionalized with different biorecognition elements to detect and quantify an antibiotic, ampicillin (AMP), and a mycotoxin, fumonisin B1 (FB1). The ultralow limits of detection of 2.284 pM and 1.617 pg.mL-1, which we achieved respectively for AMP and FB1 are far lower than their corresponding maximum residue limits of 2.8 nM in milk and 2 to 4 mg kg-1 in corn products for human consumption set by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, the linear range of detection and quantification of AMP and FB1 were, respectively, 10 pM to 500 nM and 10 pg mL-1 to 1 µg mL-1. The unique structure and excellent electrochemical performance of Ti3C2Tx/Au nanocomposite suggest that it is highly suitable for anchoring biorecognition entities such as antibodies and oligonucleotides for monitoring various deleterious contaminants in agri-food products.

Novel electrochemical ZnO/MnO2/rGO nanocomposite-based catalyst for simultaneous determination of hydroquinone and pyrocatechol.

An innovative electrochemical sensing method is introduced for dihydroxy benzene (DHB) isomers, specifically hydroquinone (HQ) and pyrocatechol (PCC), employing a zinc-oxide/manganese-oxide/reduced-graphene-oxide (ZnO/MnO2/rGO) nanocomposite (NC) as an electrode modifier material. Comprehensive characterization confirmed well-dispersed ZnO/MnO2 nanoparticles on rGO sheets. Electrochemical analysis revealed the ZnO/MnO2/rGO-NC-based modified electrode possesses low electrical resistance (126.2 Ω), high electrocatalytic activity, and rapid electron transport, attributed to the synergies between ZnO, MnO2 and rGO. The modified electrode demonstrated exceptional electrochemical performance in terms of selectivity for the simultaneous detection of HQ and PCC. Differential pulse voltammetry studies validated the proposed sensor's ability to detect HQ and PCC within linear response ranges of 0.01-115 µM and 0.03-60.53 µM, with detection limits of 0.0055 µM and 0.0053 µM, respectively. Practical validation using diverse water samples showcased excellent percent recovery of HQ and PCC using the ZnO/MnO2/rGO-based electrochemical sensor, underscoring the sensor's potential for real-world applications in environmental monitoring.

A comparative study of electropolymerization and photopolymerization for the determination of molnupiravir and their application in an electrochemical sensor via computationally designed molecularly imprinted polymers.

A comparative analysis of molecularly imprinted polymers based on different synthesis techniques was performed for the recognition of molnupiravir (MOL). The polymerizations were performed with 3-thienyl boronic acid (3-TBA) as a functional monomer by electropolymerization (EP) and with guanine methacrylate (GuaM) as a functional monomer by photopolymerization (PP). Morphological and electrochemical characterizations of the developed sensors were investigated to verify the constructed sensors. Moreover, quantum chemical calculations were used to evaluate changes on the electrode surface at the molecular and electronic levels. The dynamic linear range of both designed sensors under optimized experimental conditions was found to be 7.5 × 10-12-2.5 × 10-10 M and 7.5 × 10-13-2.5 × 10-11 M for EP and PP, respectively. The effect of various interfering agents on MOL peak current was assessed for the selectivity of the study. In the presence of 100 times more interfering agents, the RSD and recovery values were determined. The RSD values of GuaM/MOL@MIP/GCE and poly(Py-co-3-PBA)/MOL@MIP/GCE sensors were found to be 1.99% and 1.72%, respectively. Furthermore, the recovery values of the MIP-based sensors were 98.18-102.69% and 98.05-103.72%, respectively. In addition, the relative selectivity coefficient (k') of the proposed sensor was evaluated, and it exhibited good selectivity for MOL with respect to the NIP sensor. The prepared sensor was successfully applied to determine MOL in commercial serum samples and capsule form. In conclusion, the developed sensors provided excellent reproducibility, repeatability, high sensitivity, and selectivity against the MOL molecule.

Comparative performance analysis of mussel-inspired polydopamine, polynorepinephrine, and poly-α-methyl norepinephrine in electrochemical biosensors.

Polydopamine (PDA) has garnered significant interest for applications in biosensors, drug delivery, and tissue engineering. However, similar polycatecholamines like polynorepinephrine (PNE) with additional hydroxyl groups and poly-α-methylnorepinephrine (PAMN) with additional hydroxyl and methyl groups remain unexplored in the biosensing domain. This research introduces three innovative biosensing platforms composed of ternary nanocomposite based on reduced graphene oxide (RGO), gold nanoparticles (Au NPs), and three sister polycatecholamine compounds (PDA, PNE, and PAMN). The study compares and evaluates the performance of the three biosensing systems for the ultrasensitive detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). The formation of the nanocomposites was meticulously examined through UV-Visible, Raman, XRD, and FT-IR studies with FE-SEM and HR-TEM analysis. Cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry measurements were also performed to determine the electrochemical characteristics of the modified electrodes. Electrochemical biosensing experiments reveal that the RGO-PDA-Au, RGO-PNE-Au, and RGO-PAMN-Au-based biosensors detected target DNA up to a broad detection range of 0.1 × 10-8 to 0.1 × 10-18 M, with a low detection limit (LOD) of 0.1 × 10-18, 0.1 × 10-16, and 0.1 × 10-17 M, respectively. The bioelectrodes were proved to be highly selective with excellent sensitivities of 3.62 × 10-4 mA M-1 (PDA), 7.08 × 10-4 mA M-1 (PNE), and 6.03 × 10-4 mA M-1 (PAMN). This study pioneers the exploration of two novel mussel-inspired polycatecholamines in biosensors, opening avenues for functional nanocoatings that could drive further advancements in this field.