Label-free electronic detection of bio-toxins using aligned carbon nanotubes

A facile route for sensitive label-free detection of bio-toxins using aligned single walled carbon nanotubes is described. This approach involves patterning of a catalyst on the surface of a quartz substrate using a sub-100 μm stripe-patterned polydimethylsiloxane stamp for aligned carbon nanotube generation followed by fabrication of field effect transistor (FET). Atomic force microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy are employed to characterize the synthesized nanotubes. Unlike previous reports, the adopted approach enables direct electronic detection of bio-toxins with sensitivities comparable to ELISA. As a proof of concept, the fabricated FET responds to nM concentration levels (with a LOD of ∼2 nM) of epsilon toxin produced by Clostridium perfringens and a prominent food toxin. This facile approach could be customized to detect other classes of toxins and biomarkers upon appropriate functionalization of the aligned carbon nanotubes. Finally, we demonstrate the use of the FET-platform for detection of toxin in more complex matrices such as orange juice.

► The adopted approach enables direct electronic detection of bio-toxins with sensitivities comparable to ELISA.
► Horizontally aligned carbon nanotubes are used for the assay that yields better LOD compared to the previous reports on SWCNT.
► A facile route for sensitive label-free detection of bio-toxins using aligned single walled carbon nanotubes is described.
► This facile approach has been validated using spiking tests in food matrices and thereby used for food toxin detection.