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Colorimetric immunosensor based on glassy carbon microspheres test strips for the detection of prostate-specific antigen

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Abstract

Micro-sized glassy carbon microspheres (GCMs, typically 3 μm in diameter) instead of nano-sized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, typically 20 nm in diameter) were for the first time used as signal markers for the quantitative detection of antigen such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA). After being treated with concentrated HNO3, GCMs bear carboxyl groups at their surfaces, which enables antibodies to be conjugated with GCMs to yield new type of micro-sized material-based colorimetric probes used for immunochromatographic test strips (ICTSs). The captured black GCMs (with strong and wide-band light absorption) on the T-line of ICTS were used both for qualitative and quantitative determination of PSA. In the case of quantitative determination, a lab-assembled optical strip reader system was used to measure the reflected LED light intensity at 550 nm. The sensing performances of the developed GCM-based ICTSs, such as sensitivity, selectivity, reproducibility, stability, and applicability, were investigated in detail. The developed GCM-based ICTSs can have much higher (3 times) detection sensitivity than AuNP-based ICTSs, showing promising applications in sensitive immunoassay.

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Funding

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (22074018) and the Program for Scientific and Technological Innovation Leading Talents in Fujian Province.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MOE Key Laboratory of Analytical Science of Food Safety and Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety, and College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China

    Shan Lin, Jiangyan Zhong, Yuwu Chi, Yipeng Chen & Malik Saddam Khan

  2. Department of Hematology, Fujian Institute of Hematology, Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian, China

    Jianzhen Shen

Authors
  1. Shan Lin
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  2. Jiangyan Zhong
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  3. Yuwu Chi
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  4. Yipeng Chen
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  5. Malik Saddam Khan
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  6. Jianzhen Shen
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Correspondence to Yuwu Chi or Jianzhen Shen.

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Lin, S., Zhong, J., Chi, Y. et al. Colorimetric immunosensor based on glassy carbon microspheres test strips for the detection of prostate-specific antigen. Microchim Acta 188, 366 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-021-04907-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-021-04907-w

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