Flexible nanopillar-based electrochemical sensors for genetic detection of foodborne pathogens

Flexible and highly ordered nanopillar arrayed electrodes have brought great interest for many electrochemical applications, especially to the biosensors, because of its unique mechanical and topological properties. Herein, we report an advanced method to fabricate highly ordered nanopillar electrodes produced by soft-/photo-lithography and metal evaporation. The highly ordered nanopillar array exhibited the superior electrochemical and mechanical properties in regard with the wide space to response with electrolytes, enabling the sensitive analysis. As-prepared gold and silver electrodes on nanopillar arrays exhibit great and stable electrochemical performance to detect the amplified gene from foodborne pathogen of Escherichia coli O157:H7. Additionally, lightweight, flexible, and USB-connectable nanopillar-based electrochemical sensor platform improves the connectivity, portability, and sensitivity. Moreover, we successfully confirm the performance of genetic analysis using real food, specially designed intercalator, and amplified gene from foodborne pathogens with high reproducibility (6% standard deviation) and sensitivity (10 × 1.0¹ CFU) within 25 s based on the square wave voltammetry principle. This study confirmed excellent mechanical and chemical characteristics of nanopillar electrodes have a great and considerable electrochemical activity to apply as genetic biosensor platform in the fields of point-of-care testing (POCT).