Poly(dopamine) coated gold nanocluster functionalized electrochemical immunosensor for brominated flame retardants using multienzyme-labeling carbon hollow nanochains as signal amplifiers

An electrochemical, signal amplified immunosensor was developed to detect 3-bromobiphenyl (BBP) by using a bio-inspired polydopamine (PDOP)/gold nanocluster (AuNc) as the sensor platform and multienzyme-labeled carbon hollow nanochains as the signal amplifier. The self-polymerized dopamine membrane on the AuNc-modified indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), contact angle and electrochemical measurements. Such PDOP/AuNc platform featured the mild cross-linking reaction with the dense immobilization of BBP-antigens (BBP-Ag). Moreover, by using multiple horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and secondary antibodies (Ab2) modified one-dimensional carbon hollow nanochains (CHNc) as the signal enhancer, it held promise for improving the sensitivity and detection limit of the immunoassay. Based on the competitive immunoassay protocol, this immunosensor showed a linear range from 1 pM to 2 nM for BBP with a detection limit of 0.5 pM. Also, it exhibited high sensitivity, wide linear range, acceptable stability and reproducibility on a promising immobilization platform using a novel signal amplifier, which may extend its application in other environmental monitoring.

► Novel one-dimensional carbon hollow nanochains were synthesized.
► An electrochemical immunosensor for highly sensitive detection of 3-bromobiphenyl.
► A dual amplification strategy by PDOP/AuNcs and multi-HRP-CHNc-Ab2 label.