Versatile Barometer Biosensor Based on Au@Pt Core/Shell Nanoparticle Probe

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• High global demand exists for sensitive, portable, user-friendly, and cost-effective biosensors.
• Existing biosensing technologies often face limitations in portability, cost, or complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel barometer-based biosensor for detecting a broad range of targets.
• To demonstrate the versatility of the biosensor for detecting biomarkers and environmental contaminants.

Main Methods:

• Utilized core-shell Au@Pt nanoparticles (Au@PtNPs) as bioassay probes to catalyze hydrogen peroxide decomposition and oxygen generation.
• Measured pressure changes in a sealed chamber using a portable barometer to quantify oxygen release.
• Developed barometer-based immunosensors for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and ractopamine (Rac), and aptasensors for thrombin and mercury ions (Hg2+).
• Integrated smartphone software for data analysis, storage, and wireless transmission.

Main Results:

• Achieved linear detection ranges for CEA (0.025-1.6 ng/mL), Rac (0.0625-4 ng/mL), thrombin (4-128 U/L), and Hg2+ (0.25-16 ng/mL).
• Demonstrated low detection limits: 0.021 ng/mL for CEA, 0.051 ng/mL for Rac, 2.4 U/L for thrombin, and 0.22 ng/mL for Hg2+.
• Confirmed high specificity and validated the biosensor's performance in real samples (serum, urine, river water), showing consistency with traditional methods.

Conclusions:

• The developed barometer-based biosensor is sensitive, portable, user-friendly, and cost-effective.
• The biosensor platform demonstrates wide applicability for detecting diverse analytes in various sample matrices.
• This technology holds significant potential for point-of-care diagnostics and environmental monitoring.