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A photoelectrochemical sensor based on Z-Scheme TiO2@Au@CdS and molecularly imprinted polymer for uric acid detection

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Abstract

A novel photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor based on “Z-scheme” TiO2@Au@CdS and molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was developed for the non-invasive detection of uric acid (UA). The “Z-scheme” material, consisting of an electron-transfer system (Au) and two isolated photochemical systems (CdS, TiO2), was synthesized by chemical deposition method and it worked as a substrate for electro-polymerization of MIP. Due to the high photoelectric conversion efficiency provided by TiO2@Au@CdS and specific imprinting effect afforded by MIP, the sensor displayed desirable sensing performance with the merits of sensitivity, selectivity, repeatability, and stability. The linear range for UA detection is from 1 nM to 9 μM with the detection limit of 0.3 nM (S/N = 3). Moreover, the assay was successfully utilized to measure UA in human tears and offered a reliable result. The incorporation of MIP and “Z-scheme” material into a PEC sensor system is expected to provide a promising strategy for detecting other small molecules.

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Funding

The work was financially supported by Shenzhen Science and Technology Program (Grant Nos. KQTD20170810105439418, KQJSCX20180328165437711), National Natural Science Foundation of China (81973280, 81773680), Innovative team and talent training project of Shihezi (2018TD02) and the key technique improvement of Xinjiang Licorice planting and quality control of Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps (2018AB012), Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province (2018JJ3523), Shenzhen Key Medical Discipline Construction Fund (Grant No. SZXK009), and Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital Clinical Research Program (Grant No. 20193357002).

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Author notes

  1. Junhong Zhao and Jing Cheng contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Science, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, People’s Republic of China

    Junhong Zhao, Yudong Sun, Jiang Liu, Jiao Yang & Yingchun Li

  2. Experiment and Innovation Education Center, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, People’s Republic of China

    Jing Cheng

  3. School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Phytomedicine Resources for Ministry of Education, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832000, China

    Wen Chen

  4. The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Health Science Center, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China

    Yi Xu

  5. Department of Nephrology, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, People’s Republic of China

    Yi Xu

  6. College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, People’s Republic of China

    Yingchun Li

  7. Flexible Printed Electronics Technology Center, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, People’s Republic of China

    Yingchun Li

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  1. Junhong Zhao
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Zhao, J., Cheng, J., Sun, Y. et al. A photoelectrochemical sensor based on Z-Scheme TiO2@Au@CdS and molecularly imprinted polymer for uric acid detection. Microchim Acta 188, 188 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-021-04841-x

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