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Disposable sensors are inexpensive, user-friendly sensing tools designed for rapid single-point measurements of a target. Disposable sensors have become more and more essential as diagnostic tools due to the growing demand for quick, easy-to-access, and reliable information related to the target. Dopamine (DA), a prevalent catecholamine neurotransmitter in the human brain, is associated with central nervous system activities and directly promotes neuronal communication. For the sensitive and selective estimation of DA, an enzyme-free amperometric sensor based on polyaniline-doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes (PANI-MWCNTs) drop-coated disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) was fabricated. This PANI-MWCNTs-2/SPCE sensor boasts exceptional accuracy and sensitivity when working directly with ex vivo mouse brain homogenates. The sensor exhibited a detection limit of 0.05 μM (S/N = 3), and a wide linear range from 1.0 to 200 μM. The sensor's high selectivity to DA amidst other endogenous interferents was recognized. Since the constructed sensor is enzyme-free yet biocompatible, it exhibited high stability in DA detection using ex vivo mouse brain homogenates extracted from both Parkinson's disease and control mice models. This research thus presents new insights into understanding DA release dynamics at the tissue level in both of these models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melatonin (MT), a pineal gland hormone, regulates the sleep/wake cycle and is a potential biomarker for neurodegenerative disorders, depression, hypertension, and several cancers, including prostate cancer and hepatocarcinoma. The amperometric detection of MT was achieved using a sensor customized with ruthenium-incorporated carbon spheres (Ru–CS), possessing C- and O-rich catalytically active Ru surfaces. The non-covalent interactions and ion–molecule adducts between Ru and CS favor the formation of heterojunctions at the sensor–analyte interface, thus accelerating the reactions towards MT. The Ru–CS/Screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) sensor demonstrated the outstanding electrocatalytic oxidation of MT owing to its high surface area and heterogeneous rate constants and afforded a lower detection limit (0.27 μM), high sensitivity (0.85 μA μM −1 cm−2), and excellent selectivity for MT with the co-existence of crucial neurotransmitters, including norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. High concentrations of active biomolecules, such as ascorbic acid and tyrosine, did not interfere with MT detection. The practical feasibility of the sensor for MT detection in pharmaceutical samples was demonstrated, comparable to the data provided on the product labels. The developed amperometric sensor is highly suitable for the quality control of medicines because of its low cost, simplicity, small sample size, speed of analysis, and potential for automation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel electrochemical sensor based on Cu-loaded carbon nanospheres (Cu–CNSs) was designed and fabricated. Initially, the CNSs were synthesized using a natural or inexpensive carbon source (dark brown sugar), and Cu was loaded to enhance the electrocatalytic properties of the material. Subsequently, the synthesized Cu–CNSs were modified onto a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE), termed Cu–CNS/SPCE, to simultaneously detect the biomarkers dopamine (DA) and melatonin (MT) through differential pulse voltammetry. The surface characterization of the Cu–CNSs confirmed the formation of carbon spheres and Cu nanoparticles covering the spheres. Electrochemical studies showed that the Cu–CNS/SPCE had a high selectivity and sensitivity toward DA and MT, with a significant peak separation of 0.502 V. The two linear ranges of DA were 0.125–20 μM and 20–100 μM and the linear range of MT was 1.0–100 μM, with corresponding detection limits of 0.34 μM and 0.33 μM (S/N = 3), respectively. The quantification limits for DA and MT were 2.19 and 1.09 μM (S/N = 10), respectively. The sensor performance is attributed to the high conductivity and large, electrochemically active surface area of the Cu–CNS. In human serum samples, the Cu–CNS/SPCE exhibited good selectivity and satisfactory reproducibility for the simultaneous determination of DA and MT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurotransmitters (NTs) are crucial regulatory molecules responsible for maintaining the neurophysiological functioning of the brain. Dysregulated levels of certain NTs, such as dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, epinephrine, glutamate, and gamma-aminobutyric acid, are often correlated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases that involve the progressive and selective loss of structure or function of neuronal systems. Therefore, the identification and validation of relevant biomarkers are essential to diagnose these diseases much earlier. However, the quantitative analysis of NTs is challenging because of their dynamic release and presence of low concentrations. Accordingly, nanocomposite (NC)-based electrochemical sensors have been studied extensively and are gaining tremendous interest due to their high sensitivity, response rate, stability, portability, ease of use in point-of-care diagnostics, amenability to microprocessing, and low cost. In this review, we first briefly discuss the potential biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases, NC-based electrochemical sensors and their advantages and disadvantages, and the properties of the NCs, which further increase the sensor performance. Finally, we summarized the future perspectives of NC-based electrochemical sensors in the clinical set-up for NTs detection to identify research gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial infections in marine fishes are linked to mass mortality issues; hence, rapid detection of an infection can contribute to achieving a faster diagnosis using point-of-care testing. There has been substantial interest in identifying diagnostic biomarkers that can be detected in major organs to predict bacterial infections. Aspartate was identified as an important biomarker for bacterial infection diagnosis in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) fish. To determine aspartate levels, an amperometric biosensor was designed based on bi-enzymes, namely, glutamate oxidase (GluOx) and aspartate transaminase (AST), which were physisorbed on copolymer reduced graphene oxide (P-rGO), referred to as enzyme nanosheets (GluOx-ASTENs). The GluOx-ASTENs were drop casted onto a Prussian blue electrodeposited screen-printed carbon electrode (PB/SPCE). The proposed biosensor was optimized by operating variables including the enzyme loading amount, coreactant (α-ketoglutarate) concentration, and pH. Under optimal conditions, the biosensor displayed the maximum current responses within 10 s at the low applied potential of −0.10 V vs. the internal Ag/AgCl reference. The biosensor exhibited a linear response from 1.0 to 2.0 mM of aspartate concentrations with a sensitivity of 0.8 µA mM−1 cm−2 and a lower detection limit of approximately 500 µM. Moreover, the biosensor possessed high reproducibility, good selectivity, and efficient storage stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial infections in fish farms increase mass mortality and rapid detection of infection can help prevent its widespread. Lactate is an important biomarker for early diagnosis of bacterial infections in farmed olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). To determine the lactate levels, we designed a disposable amperometric biosensor based on Prussian blue nanozyme and lactate oxidase (LOX) entrapped in copolymer-reduced graphene oxide (P-rGO) on screen-printed carbon electrodes. Because LOX is inherently unstable, P-rGO nanosheets were utilized as a base matrix to immobilize it. After optimization in terms of enzyme loading, operating potential, and pH, the biosensor displayed maximum current responses within 5 s at the applied potential of –0.1 V vs. internal Ag/AgCl. The biosensor had Langmuir-type response in the lactate concentration range from 10 µM to 1.6 mM, a dynamic linear response range of 10–100 µM, a sensitivity of 15.9 µA mM−1 cm−2, and a lower detection limit of 3.1 µM (S/N = 3). Additionally, the biosensor featured high reproducibility, good selectivity, and stability till four weeks. Its practical applicability was tested in olive flounder infected by Streptococcus parauberis against the uninfected control. The results were satisfactory compared to those of a standard colorimetric assay kit, validating our method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple one-step electrochemical deposition/activation of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is highly desired for sensor configurations and remains a great challenge. Herein, we attempt an electrochemical route to exfoliate the g-C3N4 nanosheets in an aqueous solution of pH 7.0 for constructing a sensor, which is highly sensitive for the detection of serotonin (5-HT). The significance of our design is to exfoliate the g-C3N4 nanosheets, a strong electrocatalyst for 5-HT detection. Investigations regarding the effect of neutral pH (pH 7.0) on the bulk g-C3N4 and g-C3N4 nanosheets, physical characterization, and electrochemical studies were extensively carried out. We demonstrate that the g-C3N4 nanosheets have a significant electrocatalytic effect for the 5-HT detection in a dynamic linear range from 500 pM to 1000 nM (R2 = 0.999). The limit of detection and sensitivity of the designed 5-HT sensor was calculated to be 150 pM and 1.03 µA µM−1 cm−2, respectively. The proposed sensor has great advantages such as high sensitivity, good selectivity, reproducibility, and stability. The constructed g-C3N4 nanosheets-based sensor platform opens new feasibilities for the determination of 5-HT even at the picomolar/nanomolar concentration range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]