Highly sensitive and selective photoelectrochemical biosensor platform for polybrominated diphenyl ether detection using the quantum dots sensitized three-dimensional, macroporous ZnO nanosheet photoelectrode

• Published in: Biosensors & bioelectronics Vol. 61; pp. 209 - 214
• Main Authors: Li, Weili, Sheng, Pengtao, Cai, Jin, Feng, Hongyan, Cai, Qingyun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 15.11.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biosensors; Biotechnology; Cadmium tellurides; Electrochemical Techniques - instrumentation; Equipment Design; Flame Retardants - analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers - analysis; Immunoassay - instrumentation; Immunosensor; Immunosensors; Light; Limit of Detection; Macroporous ZnO nanosheet; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Nanostructure; Nanostructures - chemistry; Nanostructures - ultrastructure; Paints; Photoelectric effect; Photoelectrochemical; Polybrominated diphenyl ether; Porosity; Quantum dots; Quantum Dots - chemistry; Various methods and equipments; Zinc oxide; Zinc Oxide - chemistry; Zinc sulfides; Polybrominated diphenyl ether; Quantum dots; Macroporous ZnO nanosheet; Photoelectrochemical; Immunosensor; Quantum dot; Photoelectrochemical device; Ether; Nanoparticle; Biosensor; Selectivity; Detection
• ISSN: 0956-5663; 1873-4235
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2014.04.058

A novel photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor for the rapid detection of 2,3′,4,5′,6-pentabromodiphenylether (BDE-121) was developed by coating a core–shell ZnS/CdTe/Mn–CdS/ZnS sensitized macroporous ZnO nanosheet (NS) photoelectrode with anti-BDE-121 polyclonal antibody. Here, core–shell CdTe/Mn–CdS quantum dots (QDs) benefit the signal amplification and photostability of the co-sensitized ZnO NS photoelectrode. After introducing the ZnS buffer layers between different interfaces (the ZnO NS and sensitizers; sensitizers and the electrolyte), the photoresponse was further enhanced. Under standard simulated illumination, the saturation photocurrent density of the co-sensitized photoelectrode is 6.23mAcm−2, the highest value reported to date for ZnO NS based photoelectrode. The BDE-121 was detected by monitoring the changes of the photocurrent signals of the immunosensor resulting from the immunoreaction. The immunosensor is sensitive, stable and highly specific toward BDE-121, displaying a linear range of 5pM to 100nM with a limit of detection of 3.98pM. BDE-121 in paint samples was analyzed with the proposed sensor and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS), giving contents of 1.32±0.02ngmL−1 and 1.16ngmL−1, respectively. •QDs sensitized macroporous ZnO photoelectrode is used for PBDEs PEC immunoassay.•Three-dimension, macroporous nanostructure can load more sensitizers and targets.•Core–shell CdTe/Mn–CdS and ZnS provide superior photoactivity and photostability.•The novel photoelectrode obtains an excellent PEC efficiency among the highest rank.•The proposed immunosensor owns high sensitivity, specificity for BDE-121 assay in paint sample.