Research

Jump to: Review

23 pages, 12242 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Building Block Engineering toward Realizing High-Performance Electrochromic Materials and Glucose Biosensing Platform

by

,

,

,

,

and

Biosensors 2023, 13(7), 677; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios13070677 - 25 Jun 2023

Viewed by 737

Abstract

The molecular engineering of conjugated systems has proven to be an effective method for understanding structure–property relationships toward the advancement of optoelectronic properties and biosensing characteristics. Herein, a series of three thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (TPD)-based conjugated monomers, modified with electron-rich selenophene, 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT), [...] Read more.

The molecular engineering of conjugated systems has proven to be an effective method for understanding structure–property relationships toward the advancement of optoelectronic properties and biosensing characteristics. Herein, a series of three thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (TPD)-based conjugated monomers, modified with electron-rich selenophene, 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT), or both building blocks (Se-TPD, EDOT-TPD, and EDOT-Se-TPD), were synthesized using Stille cross-coupling and electrochemically polymerized, and their electrochromic properties and applications in a glucose biosensing platform were explored. The influence of structural modification on electrochemical, electronic, optical, and biosensing properties was systematically investigated. The results showed that the cyclic voltammograms of EDOT-containing materials displayed a high charge capacity over a wide range of scan rates representing a quick charge propagation, making them appropriate materials for high-performance supercapacitor devices. UV-Vis studies revealed that EDOT-based materials presented wide-range absorptions, and thus low optical band gaps. These two EDOT-modified materials also exhibited superior optical contrasts and fast switching times, and further displayed multi-color properties in their neutral and fully oxidized states, enabling them to be promising materials for constructing advanced electrochromic devices. In the context of biosensing applications, a selenophene-containing polymer showed markedly lower performance, specifically in signal intensity and stability, which was attributed to the improper localization of biomolecules on the polymer surface. Overall, we demonstrated that relatively small changes in the structure had a significant impact on both optoelectronic and biosensing properties for TPD-based donor–acceptor polymers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosensor Nanoengineering: Design, Operation and Implementation)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 2055 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Fast and Reliable Method Based on QCM-D Instrumentation for the Screening of Nanoparticle/Blood Protein Interactions

by

Mariacristina Gagliardi

,

Laura Colagiorgio

and

Marco Cecchini

Biosensors 2023, 13(6), 607; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios13060607 - 02 Jun 2023

Viewed by 987

Abstract

The interactions that nanoparticles have with blood proteins are crucial for their fate in vivo. Such interactions result in the formation of the protein corona around the nanoparticles, and studying them aids in nanoparticle optimization. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) can [...] Read more.

The interactions that nanoparticles have with blood proteins are crucial for their fate in vivo. Such interactions result in the formation of the protein corona around the nanoparticles, and studying them aids in nanoparticle optimization. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) can be used for this study. The present work proposes a QCM-D method to study the interactions on polymeric nanoparticles with three different human blood proteins (albumin, fibrinogen and γ-globulin) by monitoring the frequency shifts of sensors immobilizing the selected proteins. Bare PEGylated and surfactant-coated poly-(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles are tested. The QCM-D data are validated with DLS and UV-Vis experiments in which changes in the size and optical density of nanoparticle/protein blends are monitored. We find that the bare nanoparticles have a high affinity towards fibrinogen and γ-globulin, with measured frequency shifts around −210 Hz and −50 Hz, respectively. PEGylation greatly reduces these interactions (frequency shifts around −5 Hz and −10 Hz for fibrinogen and γ-globulin, respectively), while the surfactant appears to increase them (around −240 Hz and −100 Hz and −30 Hz for albumin). The QCM-D data are confirmed by the increase in the nanoparticle size over time (up to 3300% in surfactant-coated nanoparticles), measured by DLS in protein-incubated samples, and by the trends of the optical densities, measured by UV-Vis. The results indicate that the proposed approach is valid for studying the interactions between nanoparticles and blood proteins, and the study paves the way for a more comprehensive analysis of the whole protein corona. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosensor Nanoengineering: Design, Operation and Implementation)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

12 pages, 2652 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gold Leaf-Based Microfluidic Platform for Detection of Essential Oils Using Impedance Spectroscopy

by

,

,

,

and

Biosensors 2022, 12(12), 1169; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios12121169 - 14 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1223

Abstract

Drug delivery systems are engineered platforms for the controlled release of various therapeutic agents. This paper presents a conductive gold leaf-based microfluidic platform fabricated using xurography technique for its potential implication in controlled drug delivery operations. To demonstrate this, peppermint and eucalyptus essential [...] Read more.

Drug delivery systems are engineered platforms for the controlled release of various therapeutic agents. This paper presents a conductive gold leaf-based microfluidic platform fabricated using xurography technique for its potential implication in controlled drug delivery operations. To demonstrate this, peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils (EOs) were selected as target fluids, which are best known for their medicinal properties in the field of dentistry. The work takes advantage of the high conductivity of the gold leaf, and thus, the response characteristics of the microfluidic chip are studied using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) upon injecting EOs into its micro-channels. The effect of the exposure time of the chip to different concentrations (1% and 5%) of EOs was analyzed, and change in electrical resistance was measured at different time intervals of 0 h (the time of injection), 22 h, and 46 h. It was observed that our fabricated device demonstrated higher values of electrical resistance when exposed to EOs for longer times. Moreover, eucalyptus oil had stronger degradable effects on the chip, which resulted in higher electrical resistance than that of peppermint. 1% and 5% of Eucalyptus oil showed an electrical resistance of 1.79 kΩ and 1.45 kΩ at 10 kHz, while 1% and 5% of peppermint oil showed 1.26 kΩ and 1.07 kΩ of electrical resistance at 10 kHz respectively. The findings obtained in this paper are beneficial for designing suitable microfluidic devices to expand their applications for various biomedical purposes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosensor Nanoengineering: Design, Operation and Implementation)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 1679 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW)-Based Lab-on-Chip for the Detection of Active α-Glycosidase

by

Mariacristina Gagliardi

,

Matteo Agostini

,

Francesco Lunardelli

,

Alessio Miranda

,

Antonella Giuliana Luminare

,

Fabrizio Cervelli

,

Francesca Gambineri

and

Marco Cecchini

Biosensors 2022, 12(11), 1010; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios12111010 - 11 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1683

Abstract

Enzyme detection in liquid samples is a complex laboratory procedure, based on assays that are generally time- and cost-consuming, and require specialized personnel. Surface acoustic wave sensors can be used for this application, overcoming the cited limitations. To give our contribution, in this [...] Read more.

Enzyme detection in liquid samples is a complex laboratory procedure, based on assays that are generally time- and cost-consuming, and require specialized personnel. Surface acoustic wave sensors can be used for this application, overcoming the cited limitations. To give our contribution, in this work we present the bottom-up development of a surface acoustic wave biosensor to detect active α-glycosidase in aqueous solutions. Our device, optimized to work at an ultra-high frequency (around 740 MHz), is functionalized with a newly synthesized probe 7-mercapto-1-eptyl-D-maltoside, bringing one maltoside terminal moiety. The probe is designed ad hoc for this application and tested in-cuvette to analyze the enzymatic conversion kinetics at different times, temperatures and enzyme concentrations. Preliminary data are used to optimize the detection protocol with the SAW device. In around 60 min, the SAW device is able to detect the enzymatic conversion of the maltoside unit into glucose in the presence of the active enzyme. We obtained successful α-glycosidase detection in the concentration range 0.15–150 U/mL, with an increasing signal in the range up to 15 U/mL. We also checked the sensor performance in the presence of an enzyme inhibitor as a control test, with a signal decrease of 80% in the presence of the inhibitor. The results demonstrate the synergic effect of our SAW Lab-on-a-Chip and probe design as a valid alternative to conventional laboratory tests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosensor Nanoengineering: Design, Operation and Implementation)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 2954 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Multipurpose and Multilayered Microneedle Sensor for Redox Potential Monitoring in Diverse Food Analysis

by

,

,

and

Biosensors 2022, 12(11), 1001; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios12111001 - 10 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1439

Abstract

This work presents a multipurpose and multilayered stainless steel microneedle sensor for the in situ redox potential monitoring in food and drink samples, termed MN redox sensor. The MN redox sensor was fabricated by layer-by-layer (LbL) approach. The in-tube multilayer coating comprised carbon [...] Read more.

This work presents a multipurpose and multilayered stainless steel microneedle sensor for the in situ redox potential monitoring in food and drink samples, termed MN redox sensor. The MN redox sensor was fabricated by layer-by-layer (LbL) approach. The in-tube multilayer coating comprised carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as the first layer, polyaniline (PANI) as the second layer, and the ferrocyanide redox couple as the third layer. Using cyclic voltammetry (CV) as a transduction method, the MN redox sensor showed facile electron transfer for probing both electrical capacitance and redox potential, useful for both analyte specific and bulk quantification of redox species in various food and drink samples. The bulk redox species were quantified based on the anodic/cathodic redox peak shifts (E_a/E_c) on the voltammograms resulting from the presence of redox-active species. The MN redox sensor was applied to detect selected redox species including ascorbic acid, H₂O₂, and putrescine, with capacitive limits of detection (LOD) of 49.9, 17.8, and 263 ng/mL for each species, respectively. For the bulk determination of redox species, the MN redox sensor displayed LOD of 5.27 × 10³, 55.4, and 25.8 ng/mL in ascorbic acid, H₂O₂, and putrescine equivalents, respectively. The sensor exhibited reproducibility of ~1.8% relative standard deviation (%RSD). The MN redox sensor was successfully employed for the detection of fish spoilage and antioxidant quantification in king mushroom and brewed coffee samples, thereby justifying its potential for food quality and food safety applications. Lastly, the portability, reusability, rapid sampling time, and capability of in situ analysis of food and drink samples makes it amenable for real-time sensing applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosensor Nanoengineering: Design, Operation and Implementation)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

13 pages, 2118 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Wearable, Textile-Based Polyacrylate Imprinted Electrochemical Sensor for Cortisol Detection in Sweat

by

Samuel M. Mugo

,

Weihao Lu

and

Scott Robertson

Biosensors 2022, 12(10), 854; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios12100854 - 10 Oct 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2438

Abstract

A wearable, textile-based molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) electrochemical sensor for cortisol detection in human sweat has been demonstrated. The wearable cortisol sensor was fabricated via layer-by-layer assembly (LbL) on a flexible cotton textile substrate coated with a conductive nanoporous carbon nanotube/cellulose nanocrystal (CNT/CNC) [...] Read more.

A wearable, textile-based molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) electrochemical sensor for cortisol detection in human sweat has been demonstrated. The wearable cortisol sensor was fabricated via layer-by-layer assembly (LbL) on a flexible cotton textile substrate coated with a conductive nanoporous carbon nanotube/cellulose nanocrystal (CNT/CNC) composite suspension, conductive polyaniline (PANI), and a selective cortisol-imprinted poly(glycidylmethacrylate-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (poly(GMA-co-EGDMA)) decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), or plated with gold. The cortisol sensor rapidly (<2 min) responded to 9.8–49.5 ng/mL of cortisol, with an average relative standard deviation (%RSD) of 6.4% across the dynamic range, indicating excellent precision. The cortisol sensor yielded an excellent limit of detection (LOD) of 8.00 ng/mL, which is within the typical physiological levels in human sweat. A single cortisol sensor patch could be reused 15 times over a 30-day period with no loss in performance, attesting to excellent reusability. The cortisol sensor patch was successfully verified for use in quantification of cortisol levels in human sweat. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosensor Nanoengineering: Design, Operation and Implementation)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 5304 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Paper-Based Screen-Printed Ionic-Liquid/Graphene Electrode Integrated with Prussian Blue/MXene Nanocomposites Enabled Electrochemical Detection for Glucose Sensing

by

,

,

,

,

,

and

Wanida Laiwattanapaisal

Biosensors 2022, 12(10), 852; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios12100852 - 09 Oct 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2111

Abstract

As glucose biosensors play an important role in glycemic control, which can prevent the diabetic complications, the development of a glucose sensing platform is still in needed. Herein, the first proposal on the in-house fabricated paper-based screen-printed ionic liquid/graphene electrode (SPIL-GE) modified with [...] Read more.

As glucose biosensors play an important role in glycemic control, which can prevent the diabetic complications, the development of a glucose sensing platform is still in needed. Herein, the first proposal on the in-house fabricated paper-based screen-printed ionic liquid/graphene electrode (SPIL-GE) modified with MXene (Ti₃C₂T_x), prussian blue (PB), glucose oxidase (GOx), and Nafion is reported. The concentration of PB/Ti₃C₂T_x was optimized and the optimal detection potential of PB/Ti₃C₂T_x/GOx/Nafion/SPIL-GE is −0.05 V. The performance of PB/Ti₃C₂T_x/GOx/Nafion modified SPIL-GE was characterized by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry technique. This paper-based platform integrated with nanomaterial composites were realized for glucose in the range of 0.0–15.0 mM with the correlation coefficient R² = 0.9937. The limit of detection method and limit of quantification were 24.5 μM and 81.7 μM, respectively. In the method comparison, this PB/Ti₃C₂T_x/GOx/Nafion/SPIL-GE exhibits a good correlation with the reference hexokinase method. This novel glucose sensing platform can potentially be used for the good practice to enhance the sensitivity and open the opportunity to develop paper-based electroanalytical devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosensor Nanoengineering: Design, Operation and Implementation)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

32 pages, 6803 KiB

Open AccessReview

Flexible and Wearable Biosensors for Monitoring Health Conditions

by

,

,

,

,

,

,

,

and

Biosensors 2023, 13(6), 630; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios13060630 - 07 Jun 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2372

Abstract

Flexible and wearable biosensors have received tremendous attention over the past decade owing to their great potential applications in the field of health and medicine. Wearable biosensors serve as an ideal platform for real-time and continuous health monitoring, which exhibit unique properties such [...] Read more.

Flexible and wearable biosensors have received tremendous attention over the past decade owing to their great potential applications in the field of health and medicine. Wearable biosensors serve as an ideal platform for real-time and continuous health monitoring, which exhibit unique properties such as self-powered, lightweight, low cost, high flexibility, detection convenience, and great conformability. This review introduces the recent research progress in wearable biosensors. First of all, the biological fluids often detected by wearable biosensors are proposed. Then, the existing micro-nanofabrication technologies and basic characteristics of wearable biosensors are summarized. Then, their application manners and information processing are also highlighted in the paper. Massive cutting-edge research examples are introduced such as wearable physiological pressure sensors, wearable sweat sensors, and wearable self-powered biosensors. As a significant content, the detection mechanism of these sensors was detailed with examples to help readers understand this area. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives are proposed to push this research area forward and expand practical applications in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosensor Nanoengineering: Design, Operation and Implementation)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Special Issue "Biosensor Nanoengineering: Design, Operation and Implementation"

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (8 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI