A colorimetric and electrochemical dual-mode biosensor for thrombin using a magnetic separation technique

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Protein detection commonly employs enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
• Existing methods can be limited by sample complexity and electrode fouling.
• Thrombin detection is crucial for various diagnostic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sensitive and accurate dual-mode biosensor for thrombin detection.
• To overcome limitations of traditional protein detection methods.
• To create a robust sensor for complex biological matrices.

Main Methods:

• Constructed a colorimetric and electrochemical dual-mode biosensor.
• Utilized magnetic nanobeads (MBs) for thrombin (TB) separation and enrichment.
• Employed hybridization chain reaction (HCR) for signal amplification and horseradish peroxidases (HRPs) for detection.
• Integrated MBs with a magnetic electrode array (MEA) to prevent electrode poisoning.

Main Results:

• Achieved a naked-eye detection limit of 10 nM and an electrochemical detection limit of 0.35 nM for thrombin.
• Demonstrated effective separation and enrichment of thrombin from complex samples using MBs.
• The dual-mode system ensured accuracy, with good anti-interference capabilities.
• The sensor showed significant potential for detecting thrombin in real-world samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed dual-mode biosensor offers a sensitive and reliable method for thrombin detection.
• The combination of MBs, MEA, and HCR provides an effective strategy for biosensing in complex environments.
• This technology holds promise for improved diagnostic tools for thrombin-related conditions.