Label-free impedimetric aptasensor for detection of femtomole level acetamiprid using gold nanoparticles decorated multiwalled carbon nanotube-reduced graphene oxide nanoribbon composites

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) decorated multiwalled carbon nanotube-reduced graphene oxide nanoribbon (Au/MWCNT-rGONR) composites were synthesized by a one-pot reaction. By employing the resulting Au/MWCNT-rGONR composites as the support for aptamer immobilization, we developed an ultrasensitive label-free electrochemical impedimetric aptasensor for acetamiprid detection, which was based on that the variation of electron transfer resistance was relevant to the formation of acetamiprid-aptamer complex at the modified electrode surface. Compared with pure Au NPs and MWCNT-rGONR, the Au/MWCNT-rGONR composites modified electrode was the most sensitive aptasensing platform for the determination of acetamiprid. The proposed aptasensor displayed a linear response for acetamiprid in the range from 5×10−14 M to 1×10−5 M with an extremely low detection limit of 1.7×10−14 M (S/N=3). In addition, this impedimetric aptasensor possessed great advantages including the simple operation process, low-cost, selectivity and sensitivity, which provided a promising model for the aptamer-based detection with a direct impedimetric method.