Visible light-driven photoelectrochemical ampicillin aptasensor based on an artificial Z-scheme constructed from Ru(bpy)32+-sensitized BiOI microspheres

Development of a highly sensitive ampicillin sensor utilizing functionalized aptamers

To develop a sensitive and simple ampicillin (AMP) sensor for trace antibiotic residue detection, the influencing factors of the modification effect of nanogold-functionalized nucleic acid sequences (Adenine: A, Thymine: T) were comprehensively analyzed in this study, including the modification method, base length and type. It was found that under the same base concentration, longer chains are more likely to reach saturation than shorter chains; and when the base concentration and length are both the same, A exhibits a higher saturation modification level compared to T. Based on these research findings, a highly sensitive fluorescence aptamer sensor for detecting ampicillin was constructed using the optimized functionalized sequence (ployA6-aptamer) and experimental conditions (6 hours binding time between nucleic acid aptamer and complementary strand, pH 7 working solution, 20 minutes detection time) based on the principle of fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The sensor has a detection range of 0.18 ng ml-1 to 3.11 ng ml-1 for ampicillin, with a detection limit of 0.04 ng ml-1. It exhibits significant selectivity and achieves an average recovery rate of 98.71% in tap water and 91.83% in milk. This method can be used not only for residual ampicillin detection, but also for highly sensitive detection of various antibiotics and small biological molecules by replacing the aptamer type. It provides a research basis for the design of highly sensitive fluorescence aptamer sensors and further applications of nanogold@DNA composite structures.

Type-I heterojunction destruction by In situ formation of Bi2S3 for split-type photoelectrochemical aptasensor

Development of new strategies in photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensors is an important way to realize sensitive detection of biomolecule. In this study, mesoporous silica nanospheres (MSNs)-assisted split-type PEC aptasensor with in situ generation of Bi₂S₃ was proposed to achieve reliable detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). To be more specific, this bioresponsive release system will release large amounts of Na₂S by the reaction between PSA and aptamer that capped Na₂S-loading MSNs. Next, the Na₂S reacts with Bi to yield BiOI/BiOBr/Bi₂S₃ composite, which leads to an alteration in the electron-hole transfer pathway of the photoelectric material and a decrease in the response. As the PSA concentration increases, more Na₂S can be released and lower photocurrent is obtained. The linear range under the optimal experimental conditions is 10 pg·mL^-1-1 μg⋅mL^-1, and the detection limit is 1.23 pg⋅mL^-1, which has satisfactory stability and anti-interference.

Advances in electrochemiluminescence for single-cell analysis

Recent years have witnessed the emergence of innovative analytical methods with high sensitivity and spatiotemporal resolution that allowed qualitative and quantitative analysis to be carried out at single-cell and subcellular levels. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a unique chemiluminescence of high-energy electron transfer triggered by electrical excitation. The ingenious combination of electrochemistry and chemiluminescence results in the distinct advantages of high sensitivity, a wide dynamic range and good reproducibility. Specifically, single-cell ECL (SCECL) analysis with excellent spatiotemporal resolution has emerged as a promising toolbox in bioanalysis for revealing individual cells' heterogeneity and stochastic processes. This review focuses on advances in SCECL analysis and bioimaging. The history and recent advances in ECL probes and strategies for system design are briefly reviewed. Subsequently, the latest advances in representative SCECL analysis techniques for bioassays, bioimaging and therapeutics are also highlighted. Then, the current challenges and future perspectives are discussed.

Catalytic Decomposition of the Hole-Derived H2O2 by AgBiS2@Ag Nanozyme to Enhance the Photocurrent of Z-Scheme BiVO4/ZnIn2S4 Photoelectrode in Microfluidic Immunosensing Platform

A novel microfluidic photoelectrochemical (PEC) analytical device based on AgBiS₂@Ag nanozyme-mediated signal amplification was developed for ultrasensitive detection of cytokeratin 19 fragment 21-1 (CYFRA 21-1). First, a brand new Z-scheme BiVO₄/ZnIn₂S₄ (BZIS) photoactive material was utilized as a sensing matrix to supply a stable photocurrent. Under anodic bias, the photoexcited holes in BiVO₄ could oxidize water to produce hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), which markedly enhanced the separation efficiency of the electron-hole pairs. Besides, the Z-scheme heterojunction formed between BiVO₄ and ZnIn₂S₄ further accelerated the transport of the electron. Second, for improving the sensitivity of the PEC sensor, a new strategy of catalytic dissociation of the hole-derived H₂O₂ by AgBiS₂@Ag nanozyme was proposed to amplify the PEC signal. AgBiS₂@Ag composites, possessing an excellent peroxidase-mimicking feature, could efficiently catalyze the H₂O₂ to produce hydroxyl radicals (^•OH) and lead to the significant enhancement of the photocurrent. Third, automatic sample injection and detection were successfully realized by integrating the photoelectrode into microfluidic chips. Based on this advanced sensing strategy, the designed microfluidic PEC sensor displayed a wide linear range (0.1 pg/mL - 100 ng/mL) and a low detection limit of 35 fg/mL (S/N = 3), which could be efficiently applied to the ultrasensitive determination of CYFRA 21-1 in a human serum sample.

Self-powered photoelectrochemical aptasensor based on MIL-68(In) derived In2O3 hollow nanotubes and Ag doped ZnIn2S4 quantum dots for oxytetracycline detection

A self-powered photoelectrochemical (PEC) aptasensor was constructed based on MIL-68(In) derived indium oxide hollow nanotubes (In₂O₃ HNs) and Ag-doped ZnIn₂S₄ quantum dots (QDs) as sensing matrix for the ultrasensitive detection of oxytetracycline (OTC). The hollow tube structure of the designed photoelectric active platform provided abundant active sites and a larger specific surface area for the immobilization of target recognition unit. The coupling of Ag:ZnIn₂S₄ QDs and In₂O₃ HNs can accelerate the transmit and separation of photoinduced charge, and thus greatly increasing the intensity of photocurrent signal. Then, the well-constructed OTC-aptamer was anchored on the modified photoelectrode as an accurate capturing element, achieving the specific detection of analyte. Under optimal conditions, the photocurrent intensity of the PEC aptasensor decreases linearly, with a linear response range of 10^-4 -10 nmol/L, and a limit of detection (LOD) of 3.3 × 10^-5 nmol/L (S/N = 3). The developed self-powered aptasensor with excellent reproducibility, stability, and selectivity, provides a potential way to detect antibiotic residues in environmental media.

Recent developments on bismuth oxyhalide-based functional nanomaterials for biomedical applications

Multifunctional bismuth oxyhalide (BiOX, X = F, Cl, Br, and I) nanomaterials have great potential advantages in medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Pure BiOX nanomaterials have some limitations such as...

A flexible photoelectrochemical aptasensor using heterojunction architecture of α-Fe2O3/d-C3N4 for ultrasensitive detection of penbritin

The performance of photoelectrochemical (PEC) analysis system relies closely on the properties of the photoelectric electrodes. It is of great significance to integrate photoactive materials with flexible substrates to construct ultra-sensitive PEC sensors for practical application. This work reports a novel photoelectrode developed by immobilizing α-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles (NPs)/defect-rich carbon nitride (d-C₃N₄), an excellent Z-scheme heterojunction photoelectric material, onto three-dimensional (3D) flexible carbon fiber textile. Specifically, 3D hierarchical structure of flexible carbon fiber textile provides larger specific surface area and higher mechanical strength than traditional electrodes, resulting in more reaction sites and faster reaction kinetics to achieve signal amplification. Simultaneously, α-Fe₂O₃/d-C₃N₄ Z-scheme heterojunction exhibits enhanced light absorption capability and high redox ability, thus dramatically improving the PEC performance. This photoelectrode was used to construct a flexible PEC aptasensor for ultrasensitive detection of penbritin, demonstrating excellent performance in terms of wide linear range (0.5 pM-50 nM), low detection limit (0.0125 pM) and high stability. The design principle is applicable to the manufacture of other photoelectric sensing systems, which provides an avenue for the development of portable environmental analysis and field diagnostics equipment.

Construction of oxygen vacancy assisted Z-scheme BiO2-x/BiOBr heterojunction for LED light pollutants degradation and bacteria inactivation

It is well known that the most important task of photocatalytic technology is to synthesize photocatalysts with compact heterojunction structure and high redox ability. To achieve the goal, a novel Z-scheme BiO_2-x/BiOBr heterojunction containing oxygen vacancy was synthesized by an in-situ generation process. Several techniques, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have verified the BiO_2-x/BiOBr heterojunction. XPS and electron spin resonance (ESR) reveals the presence of oxygen vacancy in the BiO_2-x/BiOBr composite. As expected, the BiO_2-x/BiOBr composite showed good performance in removing Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Rhodamine B (RhB) and tetracycline (TC). The effects of inorganic ions, pH value and water matrix were investigated with many details. The active species and proposed mechanism were revealed by trapping experiment and related characterizations. The synergistic effect of oxygen vacancy and Z-scheme heterojunction makes the BiO_2-x/BiOBr composite possess excellent photocatalytic activity.

[Ru(bpy)3]2+@Ce-UiO-66/Mn:Bi2S3 Heterojunction and Its Exceptional Photoelectrochemical Aptasensing Properties for Ofloxacin Detection

A photoelectrochemical (PEC) aptasensor on basis of [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺@Ce-UiO-66/Mn:Bi₂S₃ composites was constructed for detecting ofloxacin (OFL). First, Ce-UiO-66, prepared by a solvothermal method, had Zr⁴⁺-Zr³⁺ and Ce⁴⁺-Ce³⁺ intervalence cycles to increase the charge separation efficiency. Subsequently, Ce-UiO-66 was further modified by [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ and Mn:Bi₂S₃ cosensitization to improve the photoelectric activity. [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ not only broadened the range of light absorbed but also reacted with an electron donor to maintain the photoelectric conversion process. Among the [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺@Ce-UiO-66/Mn:Bi₂S₃ heterojunction, Mn:Bi₂S₃ was a photosensitizer, which maximized the efficiency of the electron-hole separation and significantly improved photocurrent. Then, an aptamer was used as a biorecognition unit for OFL-specific detection. Under the best conditions, the PEC aptasensor realized the sensitive detection of OFL, with a detection range of 0.01-100 nmol/L and a detection limit of 6 pmol/L. In addition, the constructed PEC OFL sensor showed good reproducibility, stability, and specificity.

Enzymatic photoelectrochemical bioassay based on hierarchical CdS/NiO heterojunction for glucose determination

The design and development of a 3D hierarchical CdS/NiO heterojunction and its application in a self-powered cathodic photoelectrochemical (PEC) bioanalysis is introduced. Specifically, NiO nanoflakes (NFs) were in situ formed on carbon fibers via a facile liquid-phase deposition method followed by an annealing step and subsequent integration with CdS quantum dots (QDs). The glucose oxidase (GOx) was then coated on the photocathode to allow the determination of glucose. Under 5 W 410 nm LED light and at a working voltage of 0.0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), this method can assay glucose concentrations down to 1.77×10^-9 M. The linear range was 5×10^-7 M to 1×10^-3 M, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was below 5%. The photocathodic biosensor achieved target detection with high sensitivity and selectivity. This work is expected to stimulate more passion in the development of innovative hierarchical heterostructures for advanced self-powered photocathodic bioanalysis. Design of 3D hierarchical CdS/NiO heterojunction and its application in a self-powered cathodic photoelectrochemical (PEC) bioanalysis.