Enzyme-free detection of creatinine as a kidney dysfunction biomarker using TiO₂ flow-through membranes

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Biosensing

Background:

• Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a versatile material with applications in catalysis and sensing.
• Nanostructured TiO2, particularly nanotubes, offers high surface area and unique electrochemical properties.
• Developing efficient biosensors for detecting biomarkers like creatinine is crucial for diagnostics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and evaluate TiO2 nanotube flow-through membranes (TNTsM) as a biosensing platform.
• To investigate different electrode configurations for optimal creatinine detection.
• To understand the structural contributions to the biosensor's performance.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of TNTsM via anodization of Ti foil.
• Preparation of various electrode configurations including TNTsM with different orientations and TiO2 nanoparticles (TNPs).
• Electrochemical characterization using cyclic voltammetry and amperometry for creatinine detection.

Main Results:

• The TNT membrane with top surface up (TNTsMTU/TNPs/FTO) exhibited the highest electrochemical activity and sensitivity (∼19.88 μA μM⁻¹ cm⁻²).
• The flow-through nature of TNTsM and removal of the bottom oxide layer enhanced performance.
• The underlying TiO2 NPs layer further boosted the current response.

Conclusions:

• The TNTsMTU/TNPs/FTO electrode design is optimal for creatinine detection.
• The biosensor demonstrates high selectivity, stability, and reproducibility.
• This TNTsM-based platform shows significant potential for sensitive and reliable creatinine monitoring.