Molecularly-imprinted chloramphenicol sensor with laser-induced graphene electrodes

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Biosensors

Background:

• Graphene exhibits excellent electrical and structural properties, making it suitable for advanced applications like biosensors.
• Developing cost-effective and efficient methods for graphene-based biosensor fabrication is crucial for widespread adoption.
• Chloramphenicol (CAP) is a significant contaminant in aquaculture, necessitating sensitive detection methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an ultra-sensitive biosensor using laser-induced graphene (LIG) for electrode patterning.
• To create a molecularly-imprinted polymer (MIP) film tailored for chloramphenicol (CAP) detection.
• To evaluate the analytical performance of the developed LIG-based biosensor compared to commercial electrodes.

Main Methods:

• Graphene electrodes were patterned on a polyimide substrate using a mask-free laser-induced graphene technique.
• A three-electrode system was fabricated, with graphene electrodes patterned by laser and a silver ink reference electrode.
• A molecularly-imprinted polymer (MIP) was electropolymerized onto the working electrode using eriochrome black T (EBT) for CAP detection.

Main Results:

• The LIG exhibited a porous multi-layer structure with a resistivity of 102.4 ± 7.3 Ω/square.
• The developed MIP-based biosensor demonstrated a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.62 nM for CAP.
• The biosensor showed a wide linear response range from 1 nM to 10 mM, outperforming commercial screen-printed electrodes.

Conclusions:

• The laser-induced graphene technique provides a simple, low-cost, and mask-free method for fabricating high-performance biosensor electrodes.
• The developed MIP/LIG biosensor offers superior analytical features for chloramphenicol detection.
• This approach holds significant potential for commercialization as a viable technique for on-site sensing applications.