Graphene Oxide Functionalized Biosensor for Detection of Stress-Related Biomarkers

A graphene oxide (GO)-based cortisol biosensor was developed to accurately detect cortisol concentrations from sweat samples at point-of-care (POC) sites. A reference electrode, counter electrode, and working electrode make up the biosensor, and the working electrode was functionalized using multiple layers consisting of GO and antibodies, including Protein A, IgG, and anti-Cab. Sweat samples contact the anti-Cab antibodies to transport electrons to the electrode, resulting in an electrochemical current response. The sensor was tested at each additional functionalization layer and at cortisol concentrations between 0.1 and 150 ng/mL to determine how the current response differed. A potentiostat galvanostat device was used to measure and quantify the electrochemical response in the GO-based biosensor. In both tests, the electrochemical responses were reduced in magnitude with the addition of antibody layers and with increased cortisol concentrations. The proposed cortisol biosensor has increased accuracy with each additional functionalization layer, and the proposed device has the capability to accurately measure cortisol concentrations for diagnostic purposes.