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13 pages, 12487 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electrochemical Sensing of Dopamine Using Polypyrrole/Molybdenum Oxide Bilayer-Modified ITO Electrode

by Nadiyah Alahmadi and Waleed Ahmed El-Said

Biosensors 2023, 13(6), 578; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios13060578 - 26 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1538

The electrochemical sensing of biomarkers has attracted more and more attention due to the advantages of electrochemical biosensors, including their ease of use, excellent accuracy, and small analyte volumes. Thus, the electrochemical sensing of biomarkers has a potential application in early disease diagnosis [...] Read more.

The electrochemical sensing of biomarkers has attracted more and more attention due to the advantages of electrochemical biosensors, including their ease of use, excellent accuracy, and small analyte volumes. Thus, the electrochemical sensing of biomarkers has a potential application in early disease diagnosis diagnosis. Dopamine neurotransmitters have a vital role in the transmission of nerve impulses. Here, the fabrication of a polypyrrole/molybdenum dioxide nanoparticle (MoO₃ NP)-modified ITO electrode based on a hydrothermal technique followed by electrochemical polymerization is reported. Several techniques were used to investigate the developed electrode’s structure, morphology, and physical characteristics, including SEM, FTIR, EDX, N₂ adsorption, and Raman spectroscopy. The results imply the formation of tiny MoO₃ NPs with an average diameter of 29.01 nm. The developed electrode was used to determine low concentrations of dopamine neurotransmitters based on cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry techniques. Furthermore, the developed electrode was used for monitoring dopamine in a human serum sample. The LOD for detecting dopamine by using MoO₃ NPs/ITO electrodes based on the SWV technique was around 2.2 nmol L⁻¹. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Polymer-Based Biosensors)

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11 pages, 2651 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhanced Coloration Time of Electrochromic Device Using Integrated WO₃@PEO Electrodes for Wearable Devices

by Haneul Kwon, Soohyun Kim, Mirim Ham, Yewon Park, Haekyoung Kim, Wonmok Lee and Hyunjung Lee

Biosensors 2023, 13(2), 194; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios13020194 - 28 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1579

Abstract

Electrochromic technologies that exhibit low power consumption have been spotlighted recently. In particular, with the recent increase in demand for paper-like panel displays, faster coloration time has been focused on in researching electrochromic devices. Tungsten trioxide (WO₃) has been widely used [...] Read more.

Electrochromic technologies that exhibit low power consumption have been spotlighted recently. In particular, with the recent increase in demand for paper-like panel displays, faster coloration time has been focused on in researching electrochromic devices. Tungsten trioxide (WO₃) has been widely used as an electrochromic material that exhibits excellent electrochromic performance with high thermal and mechanical stability. However, in a solid film-type WO₃ layer, the coloration time was long due to its limited surface area and long diffusion paths of lithium ions (Li-ions). In this study, we attempted to fabricate a fibrous structure of WO₃@poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) composites through electrospinning. The fibrous and porous layer showed a faster coloration time due to a short Li-ion diffusion path. Additionally, PEO in fibers supports Li-ions being quickly transported into the WO₃ particles through their high ionic conductivity. The optimized WO₃@PEO fibrous structure showed 61.3 cm²/C of high coloration efficiency, 1.6s fast coloration time, and good cycle stability. Lastly, the electrochromic device was successfully fabricated on fabric using gel electrolytes and a conductive knitted fabric as a substrate and showed a comparable color change through a voltage change from −2.5 V to 1.5 V. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Polymer-Based Biosensors)

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11 pages, 2273 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Label-Free, Mix-and-Detect ssDNA-Binding Assay Based on Cationic Conjugated Polymers

by Pengbo Zhang, Mohamad Zandieh, Yuzhe Ding, Lyuyuan Wu, Xiaoyu Wang, Juewen Liu and Zhengping Li

Biosensors 2023, 13(1), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios13010122 - 10 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2406

Abstract

The accurate, simple, and efficient measurement of the concentration of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) is important for many analytical applications, such as DNA adsorption, biosensor design, and disease diagnosis, but it is still a challenge. Herein, we studied a cationic conjugated polymer (CCP)-based ssDNA [...] Read more.

The accurate, simple, and efficient measurement of the concentration of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) is important for many analytical applications, such as DNA adsorption, biosensor design, and disease diagnosis, but it is still a challenge. Herein, we studied a cationic conjugated polymer (CCP)-based ssDNA assay taking advantage of the obvious fluorescence change of CCPs upon binding ssDNA. Poly(3-(3′-N,N,N-triethylamino-1′-propyloxy)-4-methyl-2,5-thiophene hydrochloride) (PMNT) achieved an apparent dissociation constant (K_d) of 57 ± 4 nM for ssDNA, indicating a very high binding affinity between PMNT and ssDNA. This allowed us to develop a CCP-based ssDNA biosensor with a detection limit of 0.6 nM, similar to the fluorescence-dye-based method using SYBR Green I and SYBR Gold. Our CCP-based biosensor produced smaller differences among ssDNA samples with different base compositions. In addition, the existence of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) at different concentrations did not interfere with the fluorescence of PMNT, indicating that our CCP-based biosensor was more suitable for the measurement of ssDNA. Compared with fluorescence-intensity-based quantification, our CCP system allowed ratiometric quantification, which made the calibration easier and more robust. We then applied our method to the quantification of ssDNA on AuNPs using both unmodified and thiolated ssDNA, and the accurate quantification of ssDNA was achieved without any fluorophore modification. This method provides an alternative approach for the measurement of ssDNA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Polymer-Based Biosensors)

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11 pages, 2643 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tuning Plasmonic Properties of Gold Nanoparticles by Employing Nanoscale DNA Hydrogel Scaffolds

by Mohzibudin Z. Quazi, Taeyoung Kim, Jinhwan Yang and Nokyoung Park

Biosensors 2023, 13(1), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios13010020 - 24 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2139

Abstract

Noble metals have always fascinated researchers due to their feasible and facile approach to plasmonics. Especially the extensive utilization of gold (Au) has been found in biomedical engineering, microelectronics, and catalysis. Surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) sensors are achievable by employing plasmonic nanoparticles. The [...] Read more.

Noble metals have always fascinated researchers due to their feasible and facile approach to plasmonics. Especially the extensive utilization of gold (Au) has been found in biomedical engineering, microelectronics, and catalysis. Surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) sensors are achievable by employing plasmonic nanoparticles. The past decades have seen colossal advancement in noble metal nanoparticle research. Surface plasmonic biosensors are advanced in terms of sensing accuracy and detection limit. Likewise, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been widely used to develop distinct biosensors for molecular diagnosis. DNA nanotechnology facilitates advanced nanostructure having unique properties that contribute vastly to clinical therapeutics. The critical element for absolute control of materials at the nanoscale is the engineering of optical and plasmonic characteristics of the polymeric and metallic nanostructure. Correspondingly, AuNP’s vivid intense color expressions are dependent on their size, shape, and compositions, which implies their strong influence on tuning the plasmonic properties. These plasmonic properties of AuNPs have vastly exerted the biosensing and molecular diagnosis applications without any hazardous effects. Here, we have designed nanoscale X-DNA-based Dgel scaffolds utilized for tuning the plasmonic properties of AuNPs. The DNA nanohydrogel (Dgel) scaffolds engineered with three different X-DNAs of distinct numbers of base pairs were applied. We have designed X-DNA base pair-controlled size-varied Dgel scaffolds and molar ratio-based nano assemblies to tune the plasmonic properties of AuNPs. The nanoscale DNA hydrogel’s negatively charged scaffold facilitates quaternary ammonium ligand-modified positively charged AuNPs to flocculate around due to electrostatic charge attractions. Overall, our study demonstrates that by altering the DNA hydrogel scaffolds and the physical properties of the nanoscale hydrogel matrix, the SPR properties can be modulated. This approach could potentially benefit in monitoring diverse therapeutic biomolecules. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Polymer-Based Biosensors)

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11 pages, 2344 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fabrication of Printable Colorimetric Food Sensor Based on Hydrogel for Low-Concentration Detection of Ammonia

by Mirim Ham, Soohyun Kim, Wonmok Lee and Hyunjung Lee

Biosensors 2023, 13(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios13010018 - 23 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2411

Abstract

With the increasing market share of ready-to-cook foods, accurate determination of the food freshness and thus food safety has emerged as a concern. To commercialize and popularize food sensing technologies, food sensors with diverse functionalities, low cost, and facile use must be developed. [...] Read more.

With the increasing market share of ready-to-cook foods, accurate determination of the food freshness and thus food safety has emerged as a concern. To commercialize and popularize food sensing technologies, food sensors with diverse functionalities, low cost, and facile use must be developed. This paper proposes printable sensors based on a hydrogel-containing pH indicator to detect ammonia gas. The sensors were composed of biocompatible polymers such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] trimethylammonium chloride (MAETC). The p(HEMA-MAETC) hydrogel sensor with bromothymol blue (BTB) demonstrated visible color change as a function of ammonia concentration during food spoilage. Furthermore, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was added to improve transport speed of ammonium ions as the matrix in the sensors and optimized the viscosity to enable successful printing. The color changed within 3 min at ammonia concentration of 300 ppb and 1 ppm, respectively. The sensor exhibited reproducibility over 10 cycles and selective exposure to various gases generated during the food spoilage process. In an experiment involving pork spoilage, the color change was significant before and after exposure to ammonia gas within 8 h in ambient conditions. The proposed sensor can be integrated in bar codes and QR codes that are easily mass produced. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Polymer-Based Biosensors)

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10 pages, 1715 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Using Carbon Paste Electrode Modified with Ion Imprinted Polymer and MWCNT for Electrochemical Quantification of Methylmercury in Natural Water Samples

by Ruddy Mesa, Sabir Khan, Maria D. P. T. Sotomayor and Gino Picasso

Biosensors 2022, 12(6), 376; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios12060376 - 30 May 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1905

Abstract

Methylmercury (MeHg) is one of the most toxic organic mercury compounds found in the environment. The continuous exposure of human beings to this highly toxic compound may damage their nervous system. The present work reports the development and application of a novel electrochemical [...] Read more.

Methylmercury (MeHg) is one of the most toxic organic mercury compounds found in the environment. The continuous exposure of human beings to this highly toxic compound may damage their nervous system. The present work reports the development and application of a novel electrochemical sensing technique for the quantification of MeHg using a modified carbon paste electrode with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) combined with ion imprinted polymer, which is highly selective toward MeHg (CPE/MWCNTs/IIP-MeHg) detection. The ion imprinted polymer was synthesized using 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT), acrylic acid (AA) and MeHg employed as ligand, functional monomer and template ion, respectively, and the synthesized material was characterized by Raman spectroscopy and SEM-EDX. Both the proposed and control sensors were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electrochemical measurements were carried out using differential pulse stripping voltammetry (DPSV), and a well-defined anodic peak observed at about +0.138 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) was recorded for MeHg. The application of the CPE/MWCNTs/IIP-MeHg sensor (which increased the charge transfer on the electrode surface) under the DPSV-based electrochemical method (which enhanced the signal intensity) made the detection technique highly sensitive and selective for the quantification of methylmercury. Under optimum experimental conditions, the proposed sensor exhibited a linear response range of 560–610 µg L⁻¹ and a detection limit of 0.538 µg L⁻¹, with acceptable relative error values ≤1% when applied for the detection of MeHg in real water samples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Polymer-Based Biosensors)

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Review

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15 pages, 3396 KiB

Open AccessReview

Conducting Polymers as Versatile Tools for the Electrochemical Detection of Cancer Biomarkers

by Jincymol Kappen, Małgorzata Skorupa and Katarzyna Krukiewicz

Biosensors 2023, 13(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios13010031 - 27 Dec 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2291

Abstract

The detection of cancer biomarkers has recently become an established method for the early diagnosis of cancer. The sensitive analysis of specific biomarkers can also be clinically applied for the determination of response to treatment and monitoring of disease progression. Because of the [...] Read more.

The detection of cancer biomarkers has recently become an established method for the early diagnosis of cancer. The sensitive analysis of specific biomarkers can also be clinically applied for the determination of response to treatment and monitoring of disease progression. Because of the ultra-low concentration of cancer biomarkers in body fluids, diagnostic tools need to be highly sensitive and specific. Conducting polymers (CPs) are particularly known to exhibit numerous features that enable them to serve as excellent materials for the immobilization of biomolecules and the facilitation of electron transfer. Their large surface area, porosity, and the presence of functional groups provide CPs with binding sites suitable for capturing biomarkers, in addition to their sensitive and easy detection. The aim of this review is to present a comprehensive summary of the available electrochemical biosensors based on CPs and their composites for the ultrasensitive detection of selected cancer biomarkers. We have categorized the study based on different types of targeted biomarkers such as DNAs, miRNAs, proteins, enzymes, neurotransmitters and whole cancer cells. The sensitivity of their detection is enhanced by the presence of CPs, providing a limit of detection as low as 0.5 fM (for miRNA) and 10 cells (for the detection of cancer cells). The methods of multiplex biomarker detection and cell capture are indicated as the most promising category, since they furnish more accurate and reliable results. Ultimately, we discuss the available CP-based electrochemical sensors and promising approaches for facilitating cancer diagnosis and treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Polymer-Based Biosensors)

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31 pages, 5022 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Advances in Detection of Antibiotic Pollutants in Aqueous Media Using Molecular Imprinting Technique—A Review

by Akinrinade George Ayankojo, Jekaterina Reut, Vu Bao Chau Nguyen, Roman Boroznjak and Vitali Syritski

Biosensors 2022, 12(7), 441; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios12070441 - 23 Jun 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3373

Abstract

Antibiotics constitute one of the emerging categories of persistent organic pollutants, characterised by their expansion of resistant pathogens. Antibiotic pollutants create a major public health challenge, with already identifiable detrimental effects on human and animal health. A fundamental aspect of controlling and preventing [...] Read more.

Antibiotics constitute one of the emerging categories of persistent organic pollutants, characterised by their expansion of resistant pathogens. Antibiotic pollutants create a major public health challenge, with already identifiable detrimental effects on human and animal health. A fundamental aspect of controlling and preventing the spread of pollutants is the continuous screening and monitoring of environmental samples. Molecular imprinting is a state-of-the-art technique for designing robust biomimetic receptors called molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), which mimic natural biomolecules in target-selective recognition. When integrated with an appropriate sensor transducer, MIP demonstrates a potential for the needed environmental monitoring, thus justifying the observed rise in interest in this field of research. This review examines scientific interventions within the last decade on the determination of antibiotic water pollutants using MIP receptors interfaced with label-free sensing platforms, with an expanded focus on optical, piezoelectric, and electrochemical systems. Following these, the review evaluates the analytical performance of outstanding MIP-based sensors for environmentally significant antibiotics, while highlighting the importance of computational chemistry in functional monomer selection and the strategies for signal amplification and performance improvement. Lastly, the review points out the future trends in antibiotic MIP research, as it transits from a proof of concept to the much demanded commercially available entity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Polymer-Based Biosensors)

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32 pages, 3655 KiB

Open AccessReview

From Triboelectric Nanogenerator to Polymer-Based Biosensor: A Review

by Yin Lu, Yajun Mi, Tong Wu, Xia Cao and Ning Wang

Biosensors 2022, 12(5), 323; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios12050323 - 11 May 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3896

Abstract

Nowadays, self-powered wearable biosensors that are based on triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are playing an important role in the continuous efforts towards the miniaturization, energy saving, and intelligence of healthcare devices and Internets of Things (IoTs). In this review, we cover the remarkable developments [...] Read more.

Nowadays, self-powered wearable biosensors that are based on triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are playing an important role in the continuous efforts towards the miniaturization, energy saving, and intelligence of healthcare devices and Internets of Things (IoTs). In this review, we cover the remarkable developments in TENG−based biosensors developed from various polymer materials and their functionalities, with a focus on wearable and implantable self-powered sensors for health monitoring and therapeutic devices. The functions of TENGs as power sources for third-party biosensors are also discussed, and their applications in a number of related fields are concisely illustrated. Finally, we conclude the review with a discussion of the challenges and problems of leveraging TENG−based intelligent biosensors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Polymer-Based Biosensors)

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20 pages, 3559 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in Plasma-Engineered Polymers for Biomarker-Based Viral Detection and Highly Multiplexed Analysis

by Seyyed Mojtaba Mousavi, Seyyed Alireza Hashemi, Masoomeh Yari Kalashgrani, Ahmad Gholami, Navid Omidifar, Aziz Babapoor, Neralla Vijayakameswara Rao and Wei-Hung Chiang

Biosensors 2022, 12(5), 286; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios12050286 - 28 Apr 2022

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3013

Abstract

Infectious diseases remain a pervasive threat to global and public health, especially in many countries and rural urban areas. The main causes of such severe diseases are the lack of appropriate analytical methods and subsequent treatment strategies due to limited access to centralized [...] Read more.

Infectious diseases remain a pervasive threat to global and public health, especially in many countries and rural urban areas. The main causes of such severe diseases are the lack of appropriate analytical methods and subsequent treatment strategies due to limited access to centralized and equipped medical centers for detection. Rapid and accurate diagnosis in biomedicine and healthcare is essential for the effective treatment of pathogenic viruses as well as early detection. Plasma-engineered polymers are used worldwide for viral infections in conjunction with molecular detection of biomarkers. Plasma-engineered polymers for biomarker-based viral detection are generally inexpensive and offer great potential. For biomarker-based virus detection, plasma-based polymers appear to be potential biological probes and have been used directly with physiological components to perform highly multiplexed analyses simultaneously. The simultaneous measurement of multiple clinical parameters from the same sample volume is possible using highly multiplexed analysis to detect human viral infections, thereby reducing the time and cost required to collect each data point. This article reviews recent studies on the efficacy of plasma-engineered polymers as a detection method against human pandemic viruses. In this review study, we examine polymer biomarkers, plasma-engineered polymers, highly multiplexed analyses for viral infections, and recent applications of polymer-based biomarkers for virus detection. Finally, we provide an outlook on recent advances in the field of plasma-engineered polymers for biomarker-based virus detection and highly multiplexed analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Polymer-Based Biosensors)

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