Fast picomolar selective detection of bisphenol A in water using a carbon nanotube field effect transistor functionalized with estrogen receptor-α

In this paper we report a biosensor for the fast, ultrasensitive and selective determination of bisphenol A in water. It is based on a field effect transistor (FET) in which a network of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) acts as the conductor channel. SWCNTs are functionalized for the first time with a nuclear receptor, the estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α), which is adsorbed onto the SWCNTs and acts as the sensing part of the biosensor. SWCTNs are subsequently protected to prevent the non-specific binding of interferences. With this biosensor we can detect picomolar concentrations of BPA in only 2 min of analysis. Selectivity has been tested against possible interferences such as fluoranthene, pentacloronitrobenzene and malathion, and this is the first device that experimentally shows that small molecules can also be selectively detected at ultralow concentrations using a CNTFET biosensor.