In situ growth of WO3/BiVO4 nanoflowers onto cellulose fibers to construct photoelectrochemical/colorimetric lab-on-paper devices for the ultrasensitive detection of AFP

Dual-mode detection of α-fetoprotein using the photothermal effect and peroxidase-like activity of Au@Cu/Cu2O-rGO

α-Fetoprotein (AFP) is widely recognized as an important marker for monitoring hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its monitoring using two different transduction mechanisms is an effective way to avoid the risk of false positives or false negatives. In this paper, Au@Cu/Cu2O-rGO was used as a photothermal converter as well as an actuator to promote the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which was further designed as a probe for dual-mode detection to quantitatively assess AFP. The composite nanomaterials possessed photothermal conversion efficiencies (η) of up to 54.9 % and catalytically generated signals up to 1.6 times greater, relative to a single material. Based on the generated temperature and current signals, AFP has been sensitively detected in the range of 0.01-100 ng/mL, with limits of detection (LOD) of 5.62 pg/mL and 1.23 pg/mL, respectively. The dual-mode assay combines portability with high accuracy for the detection of human health systems.

Paper-Supported Photoelectrochemical Biosensor for Dual-Mode miRNA-106a Assay: Integration of Luminescence-Confined Upconversion-Actuated Fluorescent Resonance Energy Transfer and CRISPR/Cas13a-Powered Cascade DNA Circuits

Near-infrared (NIR)-responsive bioassays based on upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP) incorporating high-performance semiconductors have been developed by researchers, but most lack satisfactory ultrasensitivity for exceedingly trace amounts of target. Herein, for the first time, the CRISPR/Cas13a system is combined with cascade DNA circuits, fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect, and luminescence-confined UCNPs-bonded CuInS2/ZnO p-n heterostructures-functionalized paper-working electrode to construct dual-signal-on paper-supported NIR-irradiated photoelectrochemical (PEC) (NIR-PEC) and upconversion luminescence (UCL) bioassay for high-sensitive quantification of miRNA-106a (miR-106a). By constructing an ideal FAM-labeled aminating molecular beacon (FAM-H2) model, a relatively good FRET ratio between the UCNP and FAM (≈85.3%) can be achieved. In the existence of miR-106a, the hairpin-structure FAM-H2 was unwound, bringing about the distance increase of UCNP and FAM and the restraint of FRET. Accordingly, both the NIR-PEC signal and the UCL intensity gradually recovered distinctly. Unlike conventional single-mode PEC sensors, with NIR excitation, the designed dual-mode sensing system could implement minimized misdiagnose assay and quantitative miR-106a determination with low detection limits, that is, 76.54 and 51.36 aM for NIR-PEC and UCL detection, respectively. This work not only broadens the horizon of application of the CRISPR/Cas13a strategy toward biosensing but also constructs a new structure of the UCNP-semiconductor in the exploration of efficient NIR-responsive tools and inspires the construction of a no-misdiagnosed and novel biosensor for dual-mode liquid biopsy.

Characterization of a Novel Approach for Neonatal Hematocrit Screening Based on Penetration Velocity in Lateral Flow Test Strip

Hematocrit (HCT) is a crucial parameter for both adult and pediatric patients, indicating potentially severe pathological conditions. Most common methods for HCT assessment are microhematocrit and automated analyzers; however, developing countries present specific needs often not addressed by these technologies. Paper-based devices can be suitable for those environments being inexpensive, rapid, easy to use, and portable. The aim of this study is to describe and validate against a reference method, a novel HCT estimation method based on penetration velocity in lateral flow test strips complying with the requirements in low- or middle-income country (LMIC) scenarios. To calibrate and test the proposed method, 145 blood samples of 105 healthy neonates with gestational age greater than 37 weeks were collected (29 calibration set, 116 test set) in the range of HCT values (31.6-72.5%). The time difference (Δt) from the whole blood sample loading into the test strip instant till the nitrocellulose membrane saturation instant was measured by a reflectance meter. A nonlinear relation was observed between HCT and Δt and was estimated by a third-degree polynomial equation (R² = 0.91) valid in 30% to 70% HCT interval. The proposed model was subsequently used to estimate HCT values on the test set showing a good agreement between the estimated HCT and the HCT measured by the reference method (r = 0.87, p < 0.001), with a low mean difference of 0.53 ± 5.04% and a slight trend of overestimation for higher hematocrit values. The mean absolute error was 4.29%, while the maximum absolute error was 10.69%. Although the proposed method did not present a sufficient accuracy to be used for diagnostic purposes, it could be suitable as a fast, low-cost, easy-to-use screening tool especially in LMIC scenarios.

Emerging application of nanotechnology for mankind

Nanotechnology has proven to be the greatest multidisciplinary field in the current years with potential applications in agriculture, pollution remediation, environmental sustainability, as well as most recently in pharmaceutical industries. As a result of its physical, chemical, and biological productivity, resistance, and matricular organization at a larger scale, the potential of nanocomposites revealed different sorts of assembling structures via testing. Biosensors are known some specifically promising inventions whereas carbon nanotube, magnetic nanoparticles (NPs), quantum dots, and gold NPs showed capability to repair damaged cells, molecular docking, drug-delivery, and nano-remediation of toxic elements. PEGylated(Poly ethyl glycol amyl gated) redox-responsive nanoscale COFs drug delivery from AgNPs and AuNPs are known to be sun blockers in sunscreen lotions. The emerging trends and yet more to be discovered to bridge the gaps forming in the field of nanotechnology, especially insights into environmental concerns and health issues most importantly the food web which is connected with the well beings of mankind to perform its tasks giving necessary results. The current review detailed emerging role of nanomaterials in human life.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42247-023-00461-8.

Photoelectrochemical immunosensor for HER2 detection based on BiVO4-Bi2S3 heterojunction as photoactive material and CdS as signal probe

A sandwiched photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor was developed for sensitive detection of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) based on BiVO₄-Bi₂S₃ heterojunction as the photoelectric material accompanied with magnetic nanoparticles for enrichment of HER2 and CdS for signal amplification. The in situ generation of Bi₂S₃ on the surface of BiVO₄ forming a BiVO₄-Bi₂S₃ heterojunction is more conducive to the transit of electron-hole pairs. Antibody-modified MNs are utilized to capture and separate HER2 from samples. After forming a sandwich immune structure, under illumination, the photocurrent shows an increasing trend with the increment of HER2 concentration. The PEC immunosensor displays a good linear concentration range between 1.00 and 1.00 × 10³ pg·mL^-1 and a low limit of detection down to 0.680 pg·mL^-1 (S/N = 3) for HER2 under a bias voltage of 0.1 V (vs. Ag/AgCl electrode). Furthermore, the sensor was successfully applied to detect HER2 in serum samples with recoveries that ranged between 96.1 and 114% with RSDs between 1.3 and 5.9%.

PEC/Colorimetric Dual-Mode Lab-on-Paper Device via BiVO4/FeOOH Nanocomposite In Situ Modification on Paper Fibers for Sensitive CEA Detection

A dual-mode lab-on-paper device based on BiVO4/FeOOH nanocomposites as an efficient generating photoelectrochemical (PEC)/colorimetric signal reporter has been successfully constructed by integration of the lab-on-paper sensing platform and PEC/colorimetric detection technologies for sensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Concretely, the BiVO4/FeOOH nanocomposites were in situ synthesized onto the paper-working electrode (PWE) through hydrothermal synthesis of the BiVO4 layer on cellulose fibers (paper-based BiVO4) which were initially modified by Au nanoparticles for improving the conductivity of three dimensional PWE, and then the photo-electrodeposition of FeOOH onto the paper-based BiVO4 to construct the paper-based BiVO4/FeOOH for the portable dual-mode lab-on-paper device. The obtained nanocomposites with an FeOOH needle-like structure deposited on the BiVO4 layer exhibits enhanced PEC response activity due to its effective separation of the electron-hole pair which could further accelerate the PEC conversion efficiency during the sensing process. With the introduction of CEA targets onto the surface of nanocomposite-modified PWE assisted by the interaction with the CEA antibody from a specific recognition property, a signal-off PEC signal state with a remarkable photocurrent response decreasing trend can be achieved, realizing the quantitative detection of CEA with the PEC signal readout mode. By means of a smart origami paper folding, the colorimetric signal readout is achieved by catalyzing 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to generate blue oxidized TMB in the presence of H2O2 due to the satisfied enzyme-like catalytic activity of the needle-like structure, FeOOH, thereby achieving the dual-mode signal readout system for the proposed lab-on-paper device. Under the optimal conditions, the PEC and colorimetric signals measurement were effectively carried out, and the corresponding linear ranges were 0.001-200 ng·mL-1 and 0.5-100 ng·mL-1 separately, with the limit of detection of 0.0008 and 0.013 ng·mL-1 for each dual-mode. The prepared lab-on-paper device also presented a successful application in serum samples for the detection of CEA, providing a potential pathway for the sensitive detection of target biomarkers in clinical application.

Dual-mode electrochemiluminescence and electrochemical sensor for alpha-fetoprotein detection in human serum based on vertically ordered mesoporous silica films

In this study, we demonstrated the highly sensitive detection of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) by electrochemiluminescence (ECL) and electrochemistry (EC) based on the gated transport of the bifunctional probe (tris(1,10-phenanthroline) ruthenium (II) chloride, Ru (phen)₃Cl₂) into the nanochannels of vertically ordered mesoporous silica films (VMSFs). Due to the negatively charged surface and ultrasmall pore size, VMSF displays a signal amplification effect on Ru (phen)₃Cl₂ and is suitable for the construction of sensors with excellent sensitivity. With the linkage of (3-glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane, the anti-AFP antibody could covalently bind to the external surface of VMSF, generating a highly specific recognized sensing interface toward AFP. When AFP is presented, the formed immunocomplex hinders the diffusion of Ru (phen)₃Cl₂ to the underlying electrode surface, resulting in a decreased ECL or EC response. The dual-mode detection of AFP is achieved with a relatively low limit of detection (0.56 fg/ml for ECL and 4.5 pg/ml for EC) and a wide linear range (10 fg/ml∼1 μg/ml for ECL and 10 pg/ml∼1 μg/ml for EC). Moreover, owing to the inherent anti-fouling property of VMSF, satisfactory results in the analysis of human serum were obtained, showing the great potential of the designed strategy in clinical diagnosis.

A Paper-Based Photoelectrochemical Sensing Platform Based on In Situ Grown ZnO/ZnIn2S4 Heterojunctions onto Paper Fibers for Sensitively Detecting AFP

Nowadays, developing a cost-effective, easy-to-operate, and efficient signal amplification platform is of important to microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPAD) for end-use markets of point-of-care (POC) assay applications. Herein, an ultrasensitive, paper-based photoelectrochemical (PEC) bioassay platform is constructed by in situ grown ZnO/ZnIn2S4 heterojunctions onto paper fibers, which acted as photoactive signal amplification probes for enhancing the sensitivity of antibodies-based diagnostic assays, for the sensitive detection of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) targets. The crystalline flake-like ZnIn2S4 composited with hexagonal nanorods (NRs) morphology of ZnO is an in situ grown, at the first time, onto cellulose fibers surface supported with Au nanoparticle (Au NP) modification to improve conductivity of the device working zone. The obtained composites on paper fibers are implemented as a flexible paper-based photoelectrode to realize remarkable performance of the fabricated μPAD, resulting from the enhanced PEC activity of heterojunctions with effective electron-hole pair separation for accelerating photoelectric conversion efficiency of the sensing process under light irradiation. Once the target AFP was introduced into the biosensing interface assistant, with a specific recognition interaction of AFP antibody, a drastically photocurrent response was generated, in view of the apparent steric effects. With the concentration increase of AFP targets, more immune conjugates could be confined onto the biosensing interface, eventually leading to the quantitative decrease of photocurrent intensity. Combined with an ingenious origami design and permitting the hydrophobic/hydrophilic conversion procedure in the bioassay process, the ultrasensitive PEC detection of AFP targets was realized. Under the optimized conditions, the level of AFP could be sensitively tracked by the prepared μPAD with a liner range from 0.1 to 100 ng mL-1 and limit of detection of 0.03 ng mL-1. This work provides a great potential application for highly selective and sensitive POC testing of AFP, and finally, developments for clinical disease diagnosis.