Polymer-based Biosensors Research Articles

Highly sensitive microscale in vivo sensor enabled by electrophoretic assembly of nanoparticles for multiple biomarker detection

This paper describes a microscale in vivo sensor platform device for the simultaneous detection of multiple biomarkers. We designed the polymer-based biosensors incorporating multiple active isolated areas, as small as 70 μm × 70 μm, for antigen detection. The fabrication approach involved conventional micro- and nano-fabrication processes followed by site-specific electrophoretic directed assembly of antibody-functionalized nanoparticles. To ensure precise and large-scale manufacturing of these biosensors, we developed a semi-automated system for the attachment of the 250-μm biosensor to a 300-μm catheter probe. Our fabrication and post-processing procedures should enable large-scale production of such biosensor devices at lower manufacturing cost. The principle of detection with these biosensors involved a simple fluorescence-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. These biosensors exhibit high selectivity (ability to selectively detect multiple biomarkers of different diseases), specificity (ability to target generic to specific disease biomarkers), rapid antigen uptake, and low detection limits (for carcinoembryonic antigen, 31.25 pg mL(-1); for nucleosomes, 62.5 pg mL(-1)), laying the foundation for potential early detection of various diseases.

Recent advances in fluorescent and colorimetric conjugated polymer-based biosensors

Conjugated polymers recently have drawn much attention as an emerging sensory material due to their meritorious signal amplification, convenient optical detection, readily tunable properties, and easy fabrication. We review the molecular design principles of sensory conjugated polymer recognition events, which can trigger conformational change of the conjugated polymer, induce intermolecular aggregation, or change the distance between the conjugated polymer as an energy donor and the reporter dye molecule as an energy acceptor. These recognition/detection mechanisms result in mainly three types of measurable signal generation: turn on or turn off fluorescence, or change in either visible color or fluorescence emission color of the conjugated polymer. In this article, we highlight recent advances in fluorescent and colorimetric conjugated polymer-based biosensors.

Controllable Chemical Modification of Polyaniline Nanofibres

AbstractA method for simply and controllably modifying the surface of polyaniline nanofibres is described. The technique can be used to attach substituents bearing both acid and amine functional groups, making the materials suitable for further modification. Acid/amine functionalisation is achieved by a simple reflux reaction and therefore is a quick and easily scalable process. The modified nanofibres maintain their ability to switch between different states displaying distinctly different properties, thus making them suitable for adaptive sensing applications. As an example, we demonstrate how biomolecules can be attached to these functionalised nanofibres, to produce conducting polymer-based biosensors.

Enhancement of a conducting polymer-based biosensor using carbon nanotube-doped polyaniline

A biosensor with improved performance was developed through the immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) onto electropolymerized polyaniline (PANI) films doped with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The effects of electropolymerization cycle and CNT concentration on the response of the biosensor toward H 2O 2 were investigated. It was found that the application of CNTs in the biosensor system could increase the amount and stability of the immobilized enzyme, and greatly enhanced the biosensor response. Compared with the biosensor without CNTs, the proposed biosensor exhibited enhanced stability and approximately eight-fold sensitivity. A linear range from 0.2 to 19 μM for the detection of H 2O 2 was observed for the proposed biosensor, with a detection limit of 68 nM at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 and a response time of less than 5 s.

Highly sensitive biosensors based on water-soluble conjugated polymers

Conjugated, conductive polymers are a kind of important organic macromolecules, which has found applications in a variety of areas. The application of conjugated polymers in developing fluorescent biosensors represents the merge of polymer sciences and biological sciences. Conjugated polymers are very good light harvesters as well as fluorescent polymers, and they are also “molecular wires”. Through elaborate designs, these important features, i.e. efficient light harvesting and electron/energy transfer, can be used as signal amplification in fluorescent biosensors. This might significantly improve the sensitivity of conjugated polymer-based biosensors. In this article, we reviewed the application of conjugated polymers, via either electron transfer or energy transfer, to detections of gene targets, antibodies or enzymes. We also reviewed recent efforts in conjugated polymer-based solid-state sensor designs as well as chip-based multiple target detection. Possible directions in this conjugated polymer-based biosensor area are also discussed.

An Amperometric Cellobiose Dehydrogenase-Based Biosensor Can Be Used for Measurement of Cellulase Activity

The hemoflavoenzyme cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH, EC 1.1.99.18) from Phanerochaete chrysosporium has been used in an amperometric redox polymer-based biosensor. Used in conjugation with a FIA system this biosensor can replace colorimetric assays for measuring cellobiose liberated from cellulose in a series of cellulase-containing samples. The biosensor gave the same result as the Somogyi-Nelson method in a less time-consuming and laborious manner. The two methods showed about the same precision.

Conducting electroactive polymer-based biosensors

Conductive electroactive polymers are materials discovered just on two decades ago. Originally heralded for their high conductivity/weight ratio, it is the unique chemical properties they possess that now arouse much attention. The ability to synthesise these materials under mild conditions enables a range of biological moieties (enzymes, antibodies and even whole living cells) to be incorporated into the polymer structure. The unique electronic properties then allow direct and interactive communication with the biochemistries incorporated to produce a range of analytical signals. This work reviews the options available for immobilisation of biocomponents and signal generation using conducting polymer-based biosensors.

Conducting polymer-based biosensors

The electronic conductivity of polymers such as polyaniline exhibits a strong dependence on the redox and protonation state of the polymer. This property has been utilised to develop a generic biosensor concept. The concept involves immobilization of the appropriate enzyme in the conducting polymer matrix. The enzyme catalyzed reaction of the biomolecule results in a change in redox potential and/or pH of the micro environment in the polymer matrix. This change in the micro environment triggers a change in the electronic conductivity which is monitored. Results shall be presented which provide proof of the above concept. The systems chosen for investigation are glucose/glucose oxidase, urea/urease, neutral lipid/lipase and hemoglobin/pepsin.