A selective chemiresistive sensor for the cancer-related volatile organic compound hexanal by using molecularly imprinted polymers and multiwalled carbon nanotubes.

Abstract

A chemiresistive sensor is described for the lung cancer biomarker hexanal. A compositeconsisting of molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles and multiwalled carbon nanotubes was used in the sensor that istypically operated at a voltage of 4V andis capable of selectively sensing gaseous hexanal at room temperature. It works in the 10 to 200ppm concentration range and has a 10ppm detection limit (at S/N = 3). The sensor signal recovers to a value close to its starting value without the need for heating even after exposure to relatively high levels of hexanal. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of achemiresistive sensor for detection of hexanal, a cancer biomarker. The hexanal-imprinted polymeric nanoparticles were synthesized, mixed with multiwalled carbon nanotubes and coated on the surface of an interdigitated electrode to produce a nanocomposite chemiresistor gas sensor for hexanal.