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Development and Functionalization of Electrolyte-Gated Graphene Field-Effect Transistor for Biomarker Detection
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Scalable Functionalization of Polyaniline-Grafted rGO Field-Effect Transistors for a Highly Sensitive Enzymatic
Dongsung Park1,2, Dongtak Lee1, Hye Jin Kim3
1School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea.
Biosensors
|May 28, 2022
Summary
This study introduces a novel graphene-based biosensor for detecting acetylcholine (Ach), a key biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases. The developed polyaniline-grafted field-effect transistor (PGFET) offers highly sensitive, real-time Ach monitoring and drug screening capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Acetylcholine (Ach) is a critical biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and schizophrenia.
- Accurate and real-time monitoring of Ach levels is crucial for disease diagnosis and therapeutic evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a highly sensitive and reliable biosensor for real-time acetylcholine monitoring.
- To fabricate polyaniline (PAni)-grafted graphene-based field-effect transistors (PGFETs) for enhanced biosensing performance.
- To evaluate the PGFET's potential as a drug-screening platform for neurodegenerative disease therapeutics.
Main Methods:
- Wafer-scale fabrication of polyaniline-grafted graphene-based field-effect transistors (PGFETs).
- Utilized PAni grafting for enhanced enzyme immobilization and pH sensitivity.
- Assessed PGFET performance for acetylcholine detection in a flow configuration, including sensitivity, selectivity, and limit of detection.
- Investigated the effect of rivastigmine on acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity using the PGFET platform.
Main Results:
- The PGFET demonstrated enhanced pH sensitivity (2.68%/pH) compared to bare graphene-FET (1.81%/pH) without hysteresis.
- Ach detection achieved a limit of detection at the nanomolar level with significantly improved sensitivity (~103%) in the concentration range of 108 nM to 2 mM.
- The PGFET exhibited excellent selectivity against common interfering substances like glucose, ascorbic acid, dopamine, and serotonin.
- The PGFET successfully monitored the inhibitory effects of rivastigmine on AchE activity, indicating its utility for drug screening.
Conclusions:
- The developed PGFET biosensor provides a sensitive, selective, and reliable platform for real-time acetylcholine monitoring.
- The PGFET shows significant potential for early diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases and as a drug-screening tool for therapeutic development.
- This technology advances the field of electrochemical biosensing for neurological biomarkers.
