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Electrodeposition of CdSe quantum dots and its application to an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay for α-fetoprotein

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Abstract

We report on the first label-free electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor for α-fetoprotein (AFP). It is based on the use of CdSe quantum dots that were electrodeposited directly on a gold electrode from an electrolyte (containing cadmium sulfate, EDTA and selenium dioxide) by cycling the potential between 0 and -1.2 V (vs. SCE) for 60 s. The electrodeposited dots were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Under optimal conditions, the specific immunoreaction between AFP and anti-AFP resulted in a decrease of the ECL signal because of the steric hindrance and the transfer inhibition by peroxodisulfate. The quenching effect of the immunoreaction on the intensity of the ECL was used to establish a calibration plot which is linear in the range from 0.05 to 200 ng mL−1. The detection limit is 2 pg mL−1. The assay is highly sensitive and satisfactorily reproducible. In our opinion it opens new avenues to apply ECL in label-free biological assays.

We report on the first label-free electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor for α-fetoprotein (AFP). It is based on the use of CdSe quantum dots that were electrodeposited directly on a gold electrode from an electrolyte. Under optimal conditions, the specific immunoreaction between AFP and anti-AFP resulted in a decrease of the ECL signal because of the steric hindrance and the transfer inhibition by peroxodisulfate

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 20975061).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250100, China

    Shasha Peng & Xiaoli Zhang

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  1. Shasha Peng
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  2. Xiaoli Zhang
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Correspondence to Xiaoli Zhang.

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Peng, S., Zhang, X. Electrodeposition of CdSe quantum dots and its application to an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay for α-fetoprotein. Microchim Acta 178, 323–330 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-012-0844-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-012-0844-z

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