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Biosensors, Volume 10, Issue 6 (June 2020) – 18 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): The use of biosensors is considered a novel approach for the rapid detection of foodborne pathogens in food products. Biosensors, which can convert biological, chemical, or biochemical signals into measurable electrical signals, are systems containing a biological detection material combined with a chemical or physical transducer. This review also focuses in detail on the application of the most widely used biosensor types in food safety. The development of any rapid biosensors for detection should rely on the type of food products. Hence, there might be a need to develop a specific sensor for each food product; such biosensors should also provide reliable results and for use by the food industry. View this paper.
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13 pages, 2259 KiB  
Article
Detection of Cardiovascular CRP Protein Biomarker Using a Novel Nanofibrous Substrate
by Isaac Macwan, Ashish Aphale, Prathamesh Bhagvath, Shalini Prasad and Prabir Patra
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 72; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060072 - 24 Jun 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4321
Abstract
It is known that different diseases have characteristic biomarkers that are secreted very early on, even before the symptoms have developed. Before any kind of therapeutic approach can be used, it is necessary that such biomarkers be detected at a minimum concentration in [...] Read more.
It is known that different diseases have characteristic biomarkers that are secreted very early on, even before the symptoms have developed. Before any kind of therapeutic approach can be used, it is necessary that such biomarkers be detected at a minimum concentration in the bodily fluids. Here, we report the fabrication of an interdigitated sensing device integrated with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers and carbon nanotubes (CNT) for the detection of an inflammatory biomarker, C-reactive protein (CRP). The limit of detection (LOD) was achieved in a range of 100 ng mL−1 and 1 fg mL−1 in both phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and human serum (hs). Furthermore, a significant change in the electrochemical impedance from 45% to 70% (hs) and 38% to 60% (PBS) over the loading range of CRP was achieved. The finite element analysis indicates that a non-redox charge transduction at the solid/liquid interface on the electrode surface is responsible for the enhanced sensitivity. Furthermore, the fabricated biosensor consists of a large electro-active surface area, along with better charge transfer characteristics that enabled improved specific binding with CRP. This was determined both experimentally and from the simulated electrochemical impedance of the PVA nanofiber patterned gold electrode. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellulose-Based Biosensing Platforms)
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12 pages, 2175 KiB  
Article
A Capillary-Perfused, Nanocalorimeter Platform for Thermometric Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay with Femtomole Sensitivity
by Evan Kazura, Ray Mernaugh and Franz Baudenbacher
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 71; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060071 - 24 Jun 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3486
Abstract
Enzyme-catalyzed chemical reactions produce heat. We developed an enclosed, capillary-perfused nanocalorimeter platform for thermometric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (TELISA). We used catalase as enzymes to model the thermal characteristics of the micromachined calorimeter. Model-assisted signal analysis was used to calibrate the nanocalorimeter and to [...] Read more.
Enzyme-catalyzed chemical reactions produce heat. We developed an enclosed, capillary-perfused nanocalorimeter platform for thermometric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (TELISA). We used catalase as enzymes to model the thermal characteristics of the micromachined calorimeter. Model-assisted signal analysis was used to calibrate the nanocalorimeter and to determine reagent diffusion, enzyme kinetics, and enzyme concentration. The model-simulated signal closely followed the experimental signal after selecting for the enzyme turnover rate (kcat) and the inactivation factor (InF), using a known label enzyme amount (Ea). Over four discrete runs (n = 4), the minimized model root mean square error (RMSE) returned 1.80 ± 0.54 fmol for the 1.5 fmol experiments, and 1.04 ± 0.37 fmol for the 1 fmol experiments. Determination of enzyme parameters through calibration is a necessary step to track changing enzyme kinetic characteristics and improves on previous methods to determine label enzyme amounts on the calorimeter platform. The results obtained using model-system signal analysis for calibration led to significantly improved nanocalorimeter platform performance. Full article
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12 pages, 2864 KiB  
Article
Laccase-Based Biosensor Encapsulated in a Galactomannan-Chitosan Composite for the Evaluation of Phenolic Compounds
by Imane Boubezari, François Bessueille, Anne Bonhomme, Gaëtan Raimondi, Ali Zazoua, Abdelhamid Errachid and Nicole Jaffrezic-Renault
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 70; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060070 - 22 Jun 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4019
Abstract
Galactomannan, a neutral polysaccharide, was extracted from carob seeds and characterized. It was used for the first time for the fabrication of a laccase-based biosensor by the encapsulation of laccase in a chitosan+galactomannan composite. The fabricated biosensor was characterized by FTIR, scanning electron [...] Read more.
Galactomannan, a neutral polysaccharide, was extracted from carob seeds and characterized. It was used for the first time for the fabrication of a laccase-based biosensor by the encapsulation of laccase in a chitosan+galactomannan composite. The fabricated biosensor was characterized by FTIR, scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The pyrocatechol detection was obtained by cyclic voltammetry measurements, through the detection of o-quinone at −0.447 V. The laccase activity was well preserved in the chitosan+galactomannan composite and the sensitivity of detection of pyrocatechol in the 10−16 M–10−4 M range was very high. The voltammetric response of the biosensor was stable for more than two weeks. To estimate the antioxidant capacity of olive oil samples, it was shown that the obtained laccase-based biosensor is a valuable alternative to the colorimetric Folin–Ciocalteu method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers-Based Biosensors)
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15 pages, 10490 KiB  
Article
A Novel Efficient FEM Thin Shell Model for Bio-Impedance Analysis
by Jiawei Tang, Mingyang Lu, Yuedong Xie and Wuliang Yin
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 69; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060069 - 17 Jun 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3296
Abstract
In this paper, a novel method for accelerating eddy currents calculation on a cell model using the finite element method (FEM) is presented. Due to the tiny thickness of cell membrane, a full-mesh cell model requires a large number of mesh elements and [...] Read more.
In this paper, a novel method for accelerating eddy currents calculation on a cell model using the finite element method (FEM) is presented. Due to the tiny thickness of cell membrane, a full-mesh cell model requires a large number of mesh elements and hence intensive computation resources and long time. In this paper, an acceleration method is proposed to reduce the number of mesh elements and therefore reduce the computing time. It is based on the principle of replacing the thin cell membrane with an equivalent thicker structure. The method can reduce the number of mesh elements to 23% and the computational time to 17%, with an error of less than 1%. The method was verified using 2D and 3D finite element methods and can potentially be extended to other thin shell structures. The simulation results were validated by measurement and analytical results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomedical Sensing and Imaging)
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37 pages, 5993 KiB  
Review
Plant Part-Derived Carbon Dots for Biosensing
by Muhammad Zulfajri, Hani Nasser Abdelhamid, Sri Sudewi, Sandhiya Dayalan, Akhtar Rasool, Ahsan Habib and Genin Gary Huang
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 68; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060068 - 17 Jun 2020
Cited by 53 | Viewed by 6852
Abstract
Carbon dots (CDs) are a new cluster of carbon atoms with particle size less than 10 nm. CDs also exhibit interesting fluorescence (FL) properties. CDs are attractive because of their fascinating characteristics including low toxicity, good water solubility, and tremendous biocompatibility. Recently, CDs [...] Read more.
Carbon dots (CDs) are a new cluster of carbon atoms with particle size less than 10 nm. CDs also exhibit interesting fluorescence (FL) properties. CDs are attractive because of their fascinating characteristics including low toxicity, good water solubility, and tremendous biocompatibility. Recently, CDs have been investigated as biosensors for numerous target analytes. Meanwhile, the utilization of cheap and renewable natural resources not only fulfills the pressing requirement for the large-scale synthesis of CDs but also encourages the establishment of sustainable applications. The preparation of CDs using natural resources, i.e., plants, offers several advantages as it is inexpensive, eco-friendly, and highly available in the surroundings. Plant parts are readily available natural resources as the starting materials to produce CDs with different characteristics and attractive applications. Several review articles are now available covering the synthesis, properties, and applications of CDs. However, there is no specific and focused review literature discussing plant part-derived CDs for biosensing applications. To handle this gap, we provide a review of the progress of CDs derived from various plant parts with their synthesis methods, optical properties, and biosensing applications in the last five years. We highlight the synthesis methods and then give an overview of their optical properties and applications as biosensors for various biomolecules and molecules in biological samples. Finally, we discuss some future perspectives for plant part-derived CDs for better material development and applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Biosensor Materials)
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26 pages, 6740 KiB  
Review
Recent Advances in Cellulose-Based Biosensors for Medical Diagnosis
by Samir Kamel and Tawfik A. Khattab
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 67; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060067 - 17 Jun 2020
Cited by 101 | Viewed by 8969
Abstract
Cellulose has attracted much interest, particularly in medical applications such as advanced biosensing devices. Cellulose could provide biosensors with enhanced biocompatibility, biodegradability and non-toxicity, which could be useful for biosensors. Thus, they play a significant role in environmental monitoring, medical diagnostic tools, forensic [...] Read more.
Cellulose has attracted much interest, particularly in medical applications such as advanced biosensing devices. Cellulose could provide biosensors with enhanced biocompatibility, biodegradability and non-toxicity, which could be useful for biosensors. Thus, they play a significant role in environmental monitoring, medical diagnostic tools, forensic science, and foodstuff processing safety applications. This review summarizes the recent developments in cellulose-based biosensors targeting the molecular design principles toward medical detection purposes. The recognition/detection mechanisms of cellulose-based biosensors demonstrate two major classes of measurable signal generation, including optical and electrochemical cellulosic biosensors. As a result of their simplicity, high sensitivity, and low cost, cellulose-based optical biosensors are particularly of great interest for including label-free and label-driven (fluorescent and colorimetric) biosensors. There have been numerous types of cellulose substrates employed in biosensors, including several cellulose derivatives, nano-cellulose, bacterial cellulose, paper, gauzes, and hydrogels. These kinds of cellulose-based biosensors were discussed according to their preparation procedures and detection principle. Cellulose and its derivatives with their distinctive chemical structure have demonstrated to be versatile materials, affording a high-quality platform for accomplishing the immobilization process of biologically active molecules into biosensors. Cellulose-based biosensors exhibit a variety of desirable characteristics, such as sensitivity, accuracy, convenience, quick response, and low-cost. For instance, cellulose paper-based biosensors are characterized as being low-cost and easy to operate, while nano-cellulose biosensors are characterized as having a good dispersion, high absorbance capacity, and large surface area. Cellulose and its derivatives have been promising materials in biosensors which could be employed to monitor various bio-molecules, such as urea, glucose, cell, amino acid, protein, lactate, hydroquinone, gene, and cholesterol. The future interest will focus on the design and construction of multifunctional, miniaturized, low-cost, environmentally friendly, and integrated biosensors. Thus, the production of cellulose-based biosensors is very important. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosensors Based on Two-Dimensional Materials)
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15 pages, 1299 KiB  
Article
Magnetic Bead-Based Electrochemical Immunoassays On-Drop and On-Chip for Procalcitonin Determination: Disposable Tools for Clinical Sepsis Diagnosis
by Águeda Molinero-Fernández, María Moreno-Guzmán, Miguel Ángel López and Alberto Escarpa
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 66; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060066 - 17 Jun 2020
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5920
Abstract
Procalcitonin (PCT) is a known protein biomarker clinically used for the early stages of sepsis diagnosis and therapy guidance. For its reliable determination, sandwich format magnetic bead-based immunoassays with two different electrochemical detection approaches are described: (i) disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPE-C, on-drop [...] Read more.
Procalcitonin (PCT) is a known protein biomarker clinically used for the early stages of sepsis diagnosis and therapy guidance. For its reliable determination, sandwich format magnetic bead-based immunoassays with two different electrochemical detection approaches are described: (i) disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPE-C, on-drop detection); (ii) electro-kinetically driven microfluidic chips with integrated Au electrodes (EMC-Au, on-chip detection). Both approaches exhibited enough sensitivity (limit of detection (LOD) of 0.1 and 0.04 ng mL−1 for SPE-C and EMC-Au, respectively; cutoff 0.5 ng mL−1), an adequate working range for the clinically relevant concentrations (0.5–1000 and 0.1–20 ng mL−1 for SPE-C and EMC-Au, respectively), and good precision (RSD < 9%), using low sample volumes (25 µL) with total assay times less than 20 min. The suitability of both approaches was successfully demonstrated by the analysis of human serum and plasma samples, for which good recoveries were obtained (89–120%). Furthermore, the EMC-Au approach enabled the easy automation of the process, constituting a reliable alternative diagnostic tool for on-site/bed-site clinical analysis. Full article
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13 pages, 2622 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Optically Induced Dielectrophoresis (ODEP)-Based Cell Manipulation in a Microfluidic System on the Properties of Biological Cells
by Po-Yu Chu, Chia-Hsun Hsieh, Chien-Ru Lin and Min-Hsien Wu
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 65; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060065 - 16 Jun 2020
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4178
Abstract
Cell manipulation using optically induced dielectrophoresis (ODEP) in microfluidic systems has attracted the interest of scientists due to its simplicity. Although this technique has been successfully demonstrated for various applications, one fundamental issue has to be addressed—Whether, the ODEP field affects the native [...] Read more.
Cell manipulation using optically induced dielectrophoresis (ODEP) in microfluidic systems has attracted the interest of scientists due to its simplicity. Although this technique has been successfully demonstrated for various applications, one fundamental issue has to be addressed—Whether, the ODEP field affects the native properties of cells. To address this issue, we explored the effect of ODEP electrical conditions on cellular properties. Within the experimental conditions tested, the ODEP-based cell manipulation with the largest velocity occurred at 10 Vpp and 1 MHz, for the two cancer cell types explored. Under this operating condition, however, the cell viability of cancer cells was significantly affected (e.g., 70.5 ± 10.0% and 50.6 ± 9.2% reduction for the PC-3 and SK-BR-3 cancer cells, respectively). Conversely, the exposure of cancer cells to the ODEP electrical conditions of 7–10 Vpp and 3–5 MHz did not significantly alter the cell viability, cell metabolic activity, and the EpCAM, VIM, and ABCC1 gene expression of cancer cells. Overall, this study fundamentally investigated the effect of ODEP electrical conditions on the cellular properties of cancer cells. The information obtained is crucially important for the utilization of ODEP-based cell manipulation in a microscale system for various applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microfluidic Bio-Sensors and Their Applications)
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12 pages, 2892 KiB  
Article
Pectobacterium atrosepticum Biosensor for Monitoring Blackleg and Soft Rot Disease of Potato
by Mahdis Hashemi Tameh, Elisabetta Primiceri, Maria Serena Chiriacò, Palmiro Poltronieri, Masoud Bahar and Giuseppe Maruccio
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 64; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060064 - 15 Jun 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6765
Abstract
Pectobacterium atrosepticum (Pba) is a quarantine and threatening phytopathogen known as the causal agent of blackleg and soft rot disease of potatoes in many areas. Its early detection is then important to have healthy potato tubers and reduce economic losses. Today, conventional methods [...] Read more.
Pectobacterium atrosepticum (Pba) is a quarantine and threatening phytopathogen known as the causal agent of blackleg and soft rot disease of potatoes in many areas. Its early detection is then important to have healthy potato tubers and reduce economic losses. Today, conventional methods such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent-assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are typically used for Pba detection, but they are expensive and time-consuming. Here we report on the optimization of an alternative approach based on an electrochemical impedance immunosensor combining a microfluidic module and a microelectrodes array, and having advantages in terms of low cost, ease of use and portability. For validation and for assessing its performance, the lab-on-chip platform has been compared with two standard methods (ELISA and PCR). Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Biosensor and Bioelectronic Devices)
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30 pages, 10203 KiB  
Review
Low-Fouling Substrates for Plasmonic Sensing of Circulating Biomarkers in Biological Fluids
by Elba Mauriz
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 63; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060063 - 10 Jun 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5336
Abstract
The monitoring of biomarkers in body fluids provides valuable prognostic information regarding disease onset and progression. Most biosensing approaches use noninvasive screening tools and are conducted in order to improve early clinical diagnosis. However, biofouling of the sensing surface may disturb the quantification [...] Read more.
The monitoring of biomarkers in body fluids provides valuable prognostic information regarding disease onset and progression. Most biosensing approaches use noninvasive screening tools and are conducted in order to improve early clinical diagnosis. However, biofouling of the sensing surface may disturb the quantification of circulating biomarkers in complex biological fluids. Thus, there is a great need for antifouling interfaces to be designed in order to reduce nonspecific adsorption and prevent inactivation of biological receptors and loss of sensitivity. To address these limitations and enable their application in clinical practice, a variety of plasmonic platforms have been recently developed for biomarker analysis in easily accessible biological fluids. This review presents an overview of the latest advances in the design of antifouling strategies for the detection of clinically relevant biomarkers on the basis of the characteristics of biological samples. The impact of nanoplasmonic biosensors as point-of-care devices has been examined for a wide range of biomarkers associated with cancer, inflammatory, infectious and neurodegenerative diseases. Clinical applications in readily obtainable biofluids such as blood, saliva, urine, tears and cerebrospinal and synovial fluids, covering almost the whole range of plasmonic applications, from surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), are also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Nano- and Micro-Technologies in Biosensors)
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13 pages, 4108 KiB  
Article
Study of the Dielectric Properties of Artificial Sweat Mixtures at Microwave Frequencies
by Angie R. Eldamak, Sarah Thorson and Elise C. Fear
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 62; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060062 - 09 Jun 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4191
Abstract
Analysis of sweat is of interest for a variety of diagnosis and monitoring applications in healthcare. In this work, detailed measurements of the dielectric properties of solutions representing the major components of sweat are presented. The measurements include aqueous solutions of sodium chloride [...] Read more.
Analysis of sweat is of interest for a variety of diagnosis and monitoring applications in healthcare. In this work, detailed measurements of the dielectric properties of solutions representing the major components of sweat are presented. The measurements include aqueous solutions of sodium chloride (NaCl), potassium chloride (KCl), urea, and lactic acid, as well as their mixtures. Moreover, mixtures of NaCl, KCl, urea, and lactic acid, mimicking artificial sweat at different hydration states, are characterized, and the data are fitted to a Cole–Cole model. The complex dielectric permittivity for all prepared solutions and mixtures is studied in the range of 1–20 GHz, at temperature of 23 °C, with ionic concentrations in the range of 0.01–1.7 mol/L. Full article
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14 pages, 3206 KiB  
Article
A Deformation of a Mercury Droplet under Acceleration in an Annular Groove
by HanYang Xu, Yulong Zhao, Kai Zhang, Zixi Wang and Kyle Jiang
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 61; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060061 - 09 Jun 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3449
Abstract
Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) liquid sensors may be used under large acceleration conditions. It is important to understand the deformation of the liquid droplets under acceleration for the design and applications of MEMS liquid sensors, as this will affect the performance of the sensors. [...] Read more.
Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) liquid sensors may be used under large acceleration conditions. It is important to understand the deformation of the liquid droplets under acceleration for the design and applications of MEMS liquid sensors, as this will affect the performance of the sensors. This paper presents an investigation into the deformation of a mercury droplet in a liquid MEMS sensor under accelerations and reports the relationship between the deformation and the accelerations. The Laminar level set method was used in the numerical process. The geometric model consisted of a mercury droplet of 2 mm in diameter and an annular groove of 2.5 mm in width and 2.5 mm in height. The direction of the acceleration causing the droplet to deform is perpendicular to the direction of gravity. Fabrication and acceleration experiments were conducted. The deformation of the liquid was recorded using a high-speed camera. Both the simulation and experimental results show that the characteristic height of the droplets decreases as the acceleration increases. At an acceleration of 10 m/s2, the height of the droplet is reduced from 2 to 1.658 mm, and at 600 m/s2 the height is further reduced to 0.246 mm. The study finds that the droplet can deform into a flat shape but does not break even at 600 m/s2. Besides, the properties of the material in the domain surrounding the droplet and the contact angle also affect the deformation of the droplet. This work demonstrates the deformation of the liquid metal droplets under acceleration and provides the basis for the design of MEMS droplet acceleration sensors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liquid Metal Enabled Bio-Related Applications)
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7 pages, 2812 KiB  
Communication
Smartphone and Paper-Based Fluorescence Reader: A Do It Yourself Approach
by Laura Alejandra Ireta-Muñoz and Eden Morales-Narváez
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 60; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060060 - 02 Jun 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5133
Abstract
Given their photoluminescent character, portable quantum dot readers are often sophisticated and relatively expensive. In response, we engineered a “do it yourself” fluorescence reader employing paper materials and a mid-range smartphone camera. Black paperboard facilitated a versatile, lightweight and foldable case; whereas cellophane [...] Read more.
Given their photoluminescent character, portable quantum dot readers are often sophisticated and relatively expensive. In response, we engineered a “do it yourself” fluorescence reader employing paper materials and a mid-range smartphone camera. Black paperboard facilitated a versatile, lightweight and foldable case; whereas cellophane paper was observed to behave as a simple, yet effective, optical bandpass filter leading to an advantageous device for the quantitative interrogation of quantum dot nanocrystals concentrations (from 2.5 to 20 nM), which are suitable for optical point-of-care biosensing. The streptavidin-coated nanocrystals employed are commercially available and the developed reader was benchmarked with a standard portable quantum dot reader, thereby demonstrating advantages in terms of cost and linear analytical range. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cellulose-Based Biosensing Platforms)
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13 pages, 5720 KiB  
Article
Development and Evaluation of the Chromatic Behavior of an Intelligent Packaging Material Based on Cellulose Acetate Incorporated with Polydiacetylene for an Efficient Packaging
by Lina D. Ardila-Diaz, Taíla V. de Oliveira and Nilda de F. F. Soares
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 59; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060059 - 31 May 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4512
Abstract
Global growth of the food industry and the demand for new products with natural characteristics, safe conditions and traceability have driven researches for the development of technologies such as intelligent packaging, capable to fulfil those needs. Polydiacetylene (PDA) is a synthetic material that [...] Read more.
Global growth of the food industry and the demand for new products with natural characteristics, safe conditions and traceability have driven researches for the development of technologies such as intelligent packaging, capable to fulfil those needs. Polydiacetylene (PDA) is a synthetic material that has been highlighted in research field as a sensor substance, which can be used to produce intelligent packaging capable to detect chemical or biochemical changes in foods and in their environment due to PDA’s color transition from blue to red. This work focused on the development and optimization of an intelligent packaging constituted of a polymeric matrix of cellulose acetate-based incorporated with PDA as the substance sensor. Cellulose acetate films (3% wt.) were developed by a casting method, and the amounts of triethyl citrate plasticizer (TEC) (0–25% wt. of cellulose-acetate) and PDA (0–60 mg) were analyzed to optimize the conditions for the best color transitioning at this study range. The compound amounts incorporated into polymeric matrices were established according to Central Composite Designs (CCD). Three more design variables were analyzed, such as the polymerization time of PDA under UV light exposition (0–60 min), pH values (4–11) and temperature exposure on the film (0–100 °C), important factors on the behavior of PDA’s color changing. In this study, film thickness and film color coordinates were measured in order to study the homogeneity and the color transitioning of PDA films under different pH and temperature conditions, with the purpose of maximizing the color changes through the optimization of PDA and TEC concentrations into the cellulose acetate matrix and the polymerization degree trigged by UV light irradiation. The optimal film conditions were obtained by adding 50.48 g of PDA and 10% of TEC, polymerization time of 18 min under UV light, at 100 °C ± 2 °C of temperature exposure. The changes in pH alone did not statistically influence the color coordinates measured at the analyzed ratio; however, variations in pH associated with other factors had a significant effect on visual color changes, and observations were described. PDA films were optimized to maximize color change in order to obtain a cheap and simple technology to produce intelligent packaging capable to monitor food products along the distribution chain in real time, improving the food quality control and consumer safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Biosensor for Quantification of Biomarkers)
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22 pages, 1125 KiB  
Review
Application of Biosensors for Detection of Pathogenic Food Bacteria: A Review
by Athmar A. Ali, Ammar B. Altemimi, Nawfal Alhelfi and Salam A. Ibrahim
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 58; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060058 - 30 May 2020
Cited by 85 | Viewed by 17364
Abstract
The use of biosensors is considered a novel approach for the rapid detection of foodborne pathogens in food products. Biosensors, which can convert biological, chemical, or biochemical signals into measurable electrical signals, are systems containing a biological detection material combined with a chemical [...] Read more.
The use of biosensors is considered a novel approach for the rapid detection of foodborne pathogens in food products. Biosensors, which can convert biological, chemical, or biochemical signals into measurable electrical signals, are systems containing a biological detection material combined with a chemical or physical transducer. The objective of this review was to present the effectiveness of various forms of sensing technologies for the detection of foodborne pathogens in food products, as well as the criteria for industrial use of this technology. In this article, the principle components and requirements for an ideal biosensor, types, and their applications in the food industry are summarized. This review also focuses in detail on the application of the most widely used biosensor types in food safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Biosensor and Bioelectronic Devices)
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13 pages, 2535 KiB  
Article
Characteristics of an Extended Gate Field-Effect Transistor for Glucose Sensing Using an Enzyme-Containing Silk Fibroin Membrane as the Bio-Chemical Component
by Kazuto Koike, Taihou Sasaki, Kenta Hiraki, Kodai Ike, Yuichi Hirofuji and Mitsuaki Yano
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 57; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060057 - 29 May 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5250
Abstract
The characteristics of a glucose sensor based on an ion-sensitive TiO2/Ti extended gate electrode field-effect transistor (EGFET) are reported. A glucose oxidase-containing silk fibroin membrane was immobilized on a TiO2/Ti surface as the bio-sensing component. This EGFET-type biosensor was [...] Read more.
The characteristics of a glucose sensor based on an ion-sensitive TiO2/Ti extended gate electrode field-effect transistor (EGFET) are reported. A glucose oxidase-containing silk fibroin membrane was immobilized on a TiO2/Ti surface as the bio-sensing component. This EGFET-type biosensor was estimated to be able to detect a glucose concentration as low as 0.001 mg/mL in an aqueous electrolyte, which enables the sensing of glucose in the saliva and sweat. The endurance of this sensor was also examined, and it was found that the retention time of the original sensitivity for repeated use at room temperature was more than 30 days, with a high heat tolerance temperature close to 60 °C. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wearable/Implantable Enzymatic Bioelectronic Devices)
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22 pages, 3071 KiB  
Review
Wearable Skin Sensors and Their Challenges: A Review of Transdermal, Optical, and Mechanical Sensors
by Ammar Ahmad Tarar, Umair Mohammad and Soumya K. Srivastava
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 56; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060056 - 28 May 2020
Cited by 47 | Viewed by 13185
Abstract
Wearable technology and mobile healthcare systems are both increasingly popular solutions to traditional healthcare due to their ease of implementation and cost-effectiveness for remote health monitoring. Recent advances in research, especially the miniaturization of sensors, have significantly contributed to commercializing the wearable technology. [...] Read more.
Wearable technology and mobile healthcare systems are both increasingly popular solutions to traditional healthcare due to their ease of implementation and cost-effectiveness for remote health monitoring. Recent advances in research, especially the miniaturization of sensors, have significantly contributed to commercializing the wearable technology. Most of the traditional commercially available sensors are either mechanical or optical, but nowadays transdermal microneedles are also being used for micro-sensing such as continuous glucose monitoring. However, there remain certain challenges that need to be addressed before the possibility of large-scale deployment. The biggest challenge faced by all these wearable sensors is our skin, which has an inherent property to resist and protect the body from the outside world. On the other hand, biosensing is not possible without overcoming this resistance. Consequently, understanding the skin structure and its response to different types of sensing is necessary to remove the scientific barriers that are hindering our ability to design more efficient and robust skin sensors. In this article, we review research reports related to three different biosensing modalities that are commonly used along with the challenges faced in their implementation for detection. We believe this review will be of significant use to researchers looking to solve existing problems within the ongoing research in wearable sensors. Full article
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11 pages, 1253 KiB  
Article
CO2 Laser Photoacoustic Spectrometer for Measuring Acetone in the Breath of Lung Cancer Patients
by Mitrayana, Donni Kis Apriyanto and Mirza Satriawan
Biosensors 2020, 10(6), 55; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/bios10060055 - 27 May 2020
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4352
Abstract
A CO2 laser has the advantages of being high in power and having many laser lines in the 9–11 µm infrared region. Thus, a CO2 laser photoacoustic spectrometer (PAS) can have a multi-component measurement capability for many gas compounds that have [...] Read more.
A CO2 laser has the advantages of being high in power and having many laser lines in the 9–11 µm infrared region. Thus, a CO2 laser photoacoustic spectrometer (PAS) can have a multi-component measurement capability for many gas compounds that have non-zero absorption coefficients at the laser lines, and therefore can be applied for measuring several volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the human breath. We have developed a CO2 laser PAS system for detecting acetone in the human breath. Although acetone has small absorption coefficients at the CO2 laser lines, our PAS system was able to obtain strong photoacoustic (PA) signals at several CO2 laser lines, with the strongest one being at the 10P20 line. Since at the 10P20 line, ethylene and ammonia also have significant absorption coefficients, these two gases have to be included in a multi-component measurement with acetone. We obtained the lowest detection limit of our system for the ethylene, acetone, and ammonia are 6 ppbv, 11 ppbv, and 31 ppbv, respectively. We applied our PAS system to measure these three VOCs in the breath of three groups of subjects, i.e., patients with lung cancer disease, patients with other lung diseases, and healthy volunteers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Biosensing Technologies in Medical Applications)
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