Recent trends in nanomaterial-based signal amplification in electrochemical aptasensors

Abstract

Ultrasensitive biosensors have become a necessity in the world of scientific research, and several signal enhancement strategies have been employed to attain exceptionally low detection limits. Nanotechnology turns out to be a strong contender for signal amplification, as they can be employed as platform modifiers, catalysts, carriers or labels. Here, we have described the most recent advancements in the utilization of nanomaterials as signal amplification components in aptamer-based electrochemical biosensors. We have briefly reviewed the methods that utilized nanomaterials, namely gold and carbon, as well as nanocomposites such as: graphene, carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, and metal-organic frameworks.

Keywords:

• Signal amplification
• nanomaterials
• aptasensor
• electrochemical
• aptamer
• electrode modifiers
• carriers
• tracers

Acknowledgement

Chitra P. Kurup wishes to thank the Ministry of Education of Brunei Darussalam and Universiti Brunei Darussalam for her Ph.D. fellowship as a Bursary Award.

Disclosure statement

All authors have no financial disclosures.

Additional information

Funding

This work was partly supported by the Universiti Brunei Darussalam's grant UBD/RSCH/1.4/FICBF(b)/2020/025.