A highly sensitive and specific capacitive aptasensor for rapid and label-free trace analysis of Bisphenol A (BPA) in canned foods
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Updated: Mar 12, 2026
Ultrasensitive Detection of Biomarkers by Using a Molecular Imprinting Based Capacitive Biosensor
Published on: February 16, 2018
Hadi Mirzajani1, Cheng Cheng2, Jayne Wu2
1The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1520 Middle Drive, Knoxville, TN 37966, USA; Sahand University of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering, Microelectronics Research Lab., Tabriz, Iran.
Abstract:
A rapid, highly sensitive, specific and low-cost capacitive affinity biosensor is presented here for label-free and single step detection of Bisphenol A (BPA). The sensor design allows rapid prototyping at low-cost using printed circuit board material by benchtop equipment. High sensitivity detection is achieved through the use of a BPA-specific aptamer as probe molecule and large electrodes to enhance AC-electroelectrothermal effect for long-range transport of BPA molecules toward electrode surface. Capacitive sensing technique is used to determine the bounded BPA level by measuring the sample/electrode interfacial capacitance of the sensor. The developed biosensor can detect BPA level in 20s and exhibits a large linear range from 1 fM to 10 pM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 152.93 aM. This biosensor was applied to test BPA in canned food samples and could successfully recover the levels of spiked BPA. This sensor technology is demonstrated to be highly promising and reliable for rapid, sensitive and on-site monitoring of BPA in food samples.
