Preparation of Mxene-AuNPs/TGA nanocomposites explored as an electrochemical aptasensor for Digoxin analysis

Abstract

Despite the existence of numerous methods for measuring digoxin, advancements in science have led to improvements in methods, making it possible to measure very low levels of this drug. However, considering the high cost of previous methods, new methods are being developed, allowing for the measurement of very low amounts of this drug. An aptasensor was prepared by attaching digoxin aptamer to a Mxene and gold nanoparticles-modified screen-printed carbon electrode via thioglycolic acid molecules (SPCE/Mxene-AuNPs/TGA/Apt). The physicochemical features of the nanocomposite synthesized were characterized Microscopic and voltammetry techniques. The presence of Mxene, AuNPs, and TGA species all together contributed to the expansion of the active surface area, facilitating electron transfer phenomena, and improving the electrical conductivity, stability, and longevity of the prepared aptasensor. The detection limit of 0.03 pM was calculated based on a criterion of S/N = 3.Furthermore, the biosensor exhibited excellent stability and a prolonged shelf life, with a low detection cost of under 100 USD per sample. Given these benefits, the authors are confident that the electrochemical biosensor developed using Mxene-AuNPs/TGA for enhanced signal amplification offers a promising strategy for detecting digoxin in environmental samples.