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Rapid capacitive detection of femtomolar levels of bisphenol A using an aptamer-modified disposable microelectrode array

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Abstract

A label-free and single-step method is reported for rapid and highly sensitive detection of bisphenol A (BPA) in aqueous samples. It utilizes an aptamer acting as a probe molecule immobilized on a commercially available array of interdigitated aluminum microelectrodes. BPA was quantified by measuring the interfacial capacitance change rate caused by the specific binding between bisphenol A and the immobilized aptamer. The AC signal also induces an AC electrokinetic effect to generate microfluidic motion for enhanced binding. The capacitive aptasensor achieves a limit of detection as low as 10 fM(2.8 fg ⋅ mL − 1) with a 20 s response time. The method is inexpensive, highly sensitive, rapid and therefore provides a promising technology for on-site detection of BPA in food and water samples.

A. AC electrokinetics effect plays a vital role in BPA detection by introducing microfluidic movement to accelerate the molecular transport to the electrode surface.

B. The ACEK capacitive aptasensor has a limit of detection as low as 10 fM (2.8 fg ⋅ mL − 1) with a 20-s response time.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge financial supports from the University of Tennessee Research Foundation Maturation Fund and China’s specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education (20120111110024).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    Haochen Cui & Jayne Wu

  2. Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    Shigetoshi Eda

  3. Department of Public Health, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    Jiangang Chen

  4. School of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Chen & Lei Zheng

Authors
  1. Haochen Cui
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  2. Jayne Wu
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  3. Shigetoshi Eda
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  4. Jiangang Chen
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  5. Wei Chen
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  6. Lei Zheng
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jayne Wu.

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Cui, H., Wu, J., Eda, S. et al. Rapid capacitive detection of femtomolar levels of bisphenol A using an aptamer-modified disposable microelectrode array. Microchim Acta 182, 2361–2367 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1556-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1556-y

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