Design of a point-of-care device for electrochemical detection of P.vivax infected-malaria using antibody functionalized rGO-gold nanocomposite

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical Chemical, 2021-01, Vol.327, p.128860, Article 128860
• Main Authors: Singh, Preeti, Chatterjee, Manosree, Chatterjee, Kalyan, Arun, Ravi Kumar, Chanda, Nripen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies; Blood; Charge transfer; Conjugation; Diagnosis; Electrochemical analysis; Electrochemical sensor; Electrodes; Ethylenediamine; Gold; Malaria; Merozoite-surface-protein-1; Nanocomposite; Nanocomposites; P.vivax-malaria; Point-of-care; Selectivity; Sensors; Tri-inlet device
• ISSN: 0925-4005; 1873-3077
• DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2020.128860

[Display omitted] •To design and develop a POC electrochemical "Tri-inlet" device integrated with an electrode for detection of Plasmodium vivax (Pv) malaria.•The electrode acts as a sensor and consists of gold-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite on the carbon strip with an antibody specific to the Pv-infected RBCs.•The electrode's sensitivity of ∼40 vivax infected RBCs/10 μL in the patient's blood sample is achieved within 5 minutes, comparable or even better to most of the commercially available malaria kit. A point-of-care electrochemical “Tri-inlet” device integrated with an electrode that acts as a sensor is developed for early-stage diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax (Pv)-infected malaria in a human patient’s whole blood sample. The electrode is prepared in a step-wise manner involving a synthesis of rGO-based gold nanocomposite (Au-rGO) followed by conjugation with P.vivax specific antibody (merozoite surface protein-1, MSP1) and deposition of the antibody functionalized nanocomposite (Au-rGO-MSP1) over carbon strip. The crucial directional conjugation of the antibody to the nanocomposite is achieved through ethylenediamine (EDA) as a spacer for sensitive detection of the Pv-infected RBCs (Pv-iRBCs) in vivax malaria diagnosis. The Au-rGO-MSP1 based electrode (sensor) showed a decrease in peak-current density and an increase in charge-transfer resistance (Rct) as electrical signals in ferro/ferricyanide solution system due to the interaction between MSP1 antibody of the electrode and Pv-iRBCs. The Rct values increased proportionally with the number of iRBCs and varied linearly for cell concentration (R2 = 0.990). The performance analysis with the patient’s whole blood sample showed good sensitivity and selectivity with a detection limit of ∼40 vivax infected RBCs (Pv-iRBCs)/ 10 μL blood sample in 5 minutes which is comparable or even better than the most of the commercially available malaria kit. The present electrochemical approach demonstrated the proof-of-concept for designing a new disposable type sensor kit that could be easily used for early onsite detection of Plasmodium vivax-infected malaria.