Development of gold nanospikes-modified quartz crystal microbalance biosensor for prostate specific antigen detection

Abstract

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening is vital for the early detection and assessment of prostate cancer treatment efficacy. Integrating nanotechnology into biosensor development allows for targeted biomarker detection. In this study, we present the fabrication of gold nanospikes (AuNS) structures on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) using the pulse current electrodeposition (PCD) technique. By varying the duty cycles of PCD, we achieved the desired nanostructure. The characteristics of the AuNS-modified QCM electrode were thoroughly investigated using various micro-structural characterization techniques such as x-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Prior to biomolecule immobilization, each chemical treatment was verified through contact angle and FT-IR analyses. The performance of the developed QCM biosensor was evaluated using PSA at various concentrations. The results revealed that the frequency variation of the QCM biosensor was directly proportional to the PSA concentration. Notably, the AuNS-modified QCM biosensor exhibited the highest frequency shift at a 20 % duty cycle, demonstrating a linear detection range of 0.1–100 ng mL−1 and a limit of detection (LOD) of 24 pg mL−1. The developed QCM biosensor significantly enhances detection efficiency by increasing the number of binding sites for biomolecules through an enlarged surface area. The demonstrated sensitivity of the AuNS-modified QCM biosensor indicates its potential to address the increasing demand for early diagnosis and screening in healthcare systems. This innovative biosensor technology holds promise for improving prostate cancer detection and has broader implications for the development of highly sensitive biosensors for various biomarkers.