Photo-triggered g-C₃N₄/Ag₂S nanoenzyme based colorimetric immunosensor for carbohydrate antigen 19-9 detection

Carbohydrate antigen 19 - 9 (CA19-9) is a critical biomarker in clinical oncology, as its serum concentration is closely associated with tumor detection and therapeutic monitoring. In this study, a novel colorimetric immunoassay was developed for the sensitive detection of CA19-9, utilizing g-C₃N₄/Ag₂S nanocomposites as a photoactive signal probe. The nanocomposites, synthesized via a hydrothermal method, demonstrated strong absorption in the visible region and high photocatalytic activity. In the immunoassay, antibody-functionalized magnetic beads were used to capture the target antigen, followed by labeling with detection probes based on the g-C₃N₄/Ag₂S nanocomposites. Under visible light irradiation, the nanocomposites catalyzed the oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), producing a distinct color change that was quantitatively analyzed via UV-vis spectroscopy. The method exhibited a wide linear detection range from 4.0 to 400 U/mL, with a detection limit of 1.86 U/mL, and demonstrated excellent specificity, stability, and reproducibility. Successful application to human serum samples further validated the reliability and practical utility of the assay, highlighting its promising potential for clinical cancer diagnosis and screening.