A Comprehensive Review on Biopolymer Mediated Nanomaterial Composites and Their Applications in Electrochemical Sensors

Abstract

Biopolymers are an attractive green alternative to conventional polymers, owing to their excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, their amorphous and nonconductive nature limits their potential as active biosensor material/substrate. To enhance their bio-analytical performance, biopolymers are combined with conductive materials to improve their physical and chemical characteristics. We review the main advances in the field of electrochemical biosensors, specifically the structure, approach, and application of biopolymers, as well as their conjugation with conductive nanoparticles, polymers and metal oxides in green-based noninvasive analytical biosensors. In addition, we reviewed signal measurement, substrate bio-functionality, biochemical reaction, sensitivity, and limit of detection (LOD) of different biopolymers on various transducers. To date, pectin biopolymer, when conjugated with either gold nanoparticles, polypyrrole, reduced graphene oxide, or multiwall carbon nanotubes forming nanocomposites on glass carbon electrode transducer, tends to give the best LOD, highest sensitivity and can detect multiple analytes/targets. This review will spur new possibilities for the use of biosensors for medical diagnostic tests.

Keywords:

• Biopolymers
• high-performance detection
• nanosensors
• sensing elements

Acknowledgements

Thanking note to Minister of Higher Education Malaysia for supporting the research with Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) (FRGS/1/2020/TKO/UTP/03/7) and Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) for giving chance to carry out the research in Nanotechnology Research Laboratory and Dye Solar Cell Laboratory.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS).