A Programmable Carbon Nanotube-Based Diagnostic Toolkit: Modular Architecture for Universal Multitarget Biosensing...

Area of Science:

• Biosensor Engineering
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Traditional biosensors are often single-analyte specific, limiting their application scope.
• Developing universal diagnostic platforms requires overcoming limitations of single-analyte constraints.
• Modular architectures offer a promising approach for versatile biosensor development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a programmable carbon nanotube (CNT)-based lateral flow biosensor toolkit.
• To demonstrate a modular architecture enabling interchangeable antibody components for versatile diagnostics.
• To achieve significant signal amplification and superior colloidal stability for enhanced biosensing performance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized synergistic dual-treatment: HNO3/H2SO4 oxidation and Tween-20 surfactant modification of CNTs.
• Developed a modular design where antibodies are interchangeable molecular components.
• Applied the system to both sandwich immunoassays for tumor markers and competitive immunoassays for mycotoxins.

Main Results:

• Achieved 10-fold signal amplification and superior colloidal stability compared to conventional methods.
• Demonstrated successful application in detecting tumor markers (e.g., CEA, LOD 0.25 ng/mL) and mycotoxins (e.g., Ochratoxin A, LOD 4.31 pg/mL).
• Exhibited high performance in complex matrices: >95% specificity, <8% RSD, and 96-105% recovery.

Conclusions:

• The plug-and-play capability allows rapid analyte switching by only substituting antibodies.
• This modular approach minimizes development cycles, shifting focus from target-specific optimization to modular assembly.
• The platform offers a versatile framework for addressing diverse diagnostic challenges efficiently.