Electrochemical aptasensor for 17β-estradiol using disposable laser scribed graphene electrodes

Area of Science:

• Biosensors and electrochemical sensing
• Biomolecular recognition and assay development
• Nanomaterials in diagnostics

Background:

• 17β-estradiol (E2) is a key female reproductive hormone; abnormal levels are linked to various health issues.
• Accurate and sensitive detection of E2 is crucial for diagnosing and managing related health conditions.
• Existing detection methods may lack sensitivity, selectivity, or portability for widespread application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, sensitive, and selective electrochemical aptasensor for 17β-estradiol (E2) detection.
• To investigate the aptasensor's performance on both traditional glass carbon electrodes (GCE) and disposable laser-scribed graphene electrodes (LSGE).
• To assess the potential of this aptasensor for portable and commercial sensing applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a split aptamer strategy with adamantane functionalization and gold nanoparticle labeling for E2 recognition.
• Immobilized the first aptamer fragment on poly(β-cyclodextrin)-modified electrodes via host-guest interactions.
• Detected E2 through changes in electrochemical signals (DPV) resulting from aptamer conformational changes and gold nanoparticle reduction.

Main Results:

• Achieved a linear detection range of 1.0 × 10⁻¹³ to 1.0 × 10⁻⁸ M with a limit of detection (LoD) of 0.7 fM on GCE.
• Demonstrated comparable performance on disposable LSGE with a linear range of 1.0 × 10⁻¹³ to 1.0 × 10⁻⁹ M and an LoD of 63.1 fM.
• Successfully translated the aptasensor from GCE to low-cost, disposable LSGE, indicating potential for portable devices.

Conclusions:

• The developed electrochemical aptasensor offers high sensitivity and selectivity for E2 detection.
• The successful implementation on disposable LSGE highlights its potential for practical, point-of-care applications.
• This sensing platform shows promise for commercial portable systems for monitoring E2 and other biologically relevant molecules.