An antibiofouling electrochemical sensor consisting of amphiphilic copolymer on CNT-COOH electrodes for point-of-care monitoring of propofol blood concentration in surgical patients

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical Chemical, 2025-02, Vol.424, p.136890, Article 136890
• Main Authors: Wang, Shan, Kuai, Chunguang, He, Qianwen, He, Feng, Xiong, Bingrui, Li, Li, Ke, Xue, Guo, Yuzheng, Peng, Mian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amphiphilic copolymer; Antibiofouling; Electrochemical sensors; Point-of-care; Propofol concentration
• ISSN: 0925-4005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2024.136890

The monitoring of propofol (PPF) blood concentration is vital for the safety of intravenous anesthesia. Electrochemical sensors represent a powerful tool for the detection of PPF. Our previous research has demonstrated that CNT-COOH electrodes exhibit advantages in resisting electrochemical fouling from PPF oxidation products. Nevertheless, biofouling remains a critical challenge hindering the clinical transformation of PPF electrochemical sensors. To address this issue, we employed in-situ electrodeposition to deposit zwitterionic sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA) and overoxidation polydopamine (OPDA) onto CNT-COOH screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) and proposed an innovative CNT-COOH/OPDA-SBMA (CNT-COOH/OPS) amphiphilic antifouling biosensor. This amphiphilic electrode, featuring both hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties, demonstrated excellent antifouling performance through electrochemical characterization in ex-vivo blood assays, coupled with commendable sensitivity, stability, and selectivity. CNT-COOH/OPS SPEs were also applied in point-of-care monitoring of the PPF blood concentrations in animals and clinical surgical patients and exhibited good accuracy and linearity (Ipa=0.0084c+0.4458, R2=0.995) with a limit of detection of 2.948 μM. Further, the electrodes demonstrated a high recovery and the blood concentrations determined by electrochemical detection had robust negative correlation with the depth of anesthesia. Therefore, CNT-COOH/OPS SPEs hold promise as a significant tool in point-of-care monitoring of PPF, offering patients safer and more personalized medical care. •An amphiphilic CNT-COOH/OPS antibiofouling electrochemical sensor was constructed.•The performance of CNT-COOH/OPS electrodes was studied at multiple levels.•The CNT-COOH/OPS biosensor offered rapid detection, ease of use and enable POCT.•PPF concentration by this biosensor correlated strongly with anesthesia depth.