Multiplexed detection of toxins using graphene-based aptasensors
Inventors
Johnson, Jr., Alan T. • PING, Jinglei • Vitale, Steven • Wen, Chengyu
Assignees
University of Pennsylvania Penn
Publication Number
US-12405260-B2
Publication Date
2025-09-02
Expiration Date
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Abstract
Provided is a sensor device, comprising: a portion of graphene and/or graphene oxide in electronic communication with a gold source electrode, a drain electrode, a gate electrode, or any combination thereof; and an aptamer in electrical communication with the portion of graphene and/or graphene oxide, the portion of graphene and/or graphene oxide connected to said aptamer via at least one linker that comprises 4-carboxybenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate.
Core Innovation
Provided is a sensor device, comprising: a portion of graphene and/or graphene oxide in electronic communication with a gold source electrode, a drain electrode, a gate electrode, or any combination thereof; and an aptamer in electrical communication with the portion of graphene and/or graphene oxide, the portion of graphene and/or graphene oxide connected to said aptamer via at least one linker that comprises 4-carboxybenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate.
Toxins in environmental water bodies pose significant threats to the health of people exposed to them, and there is long-felt need to simultaneously monitor organic and inorganic toxins, such as bisphenol A (BPA) and mercury ions Hg(II), that can coexist in the field, with high sensitivity and selectivity. Conventional approaches lack efficiency in terms of cost, size, time, and power-consumption, and those different techniques are based on different detection mechanisms and can be challenging to integrate together.
A graphene aptasensor-based multiplexed system capable of monitoring toxins (e.g., organic/inorganic toxins in tap water) in real time is provided, and a scalable fabrication protocol to produce aptasensing arrays based on graphene field-effect transistors (gFETs) with a novel configuration that allows the driving electronics to be programmed to back-gate each transistors individually is described.
Claims Coverage
One independent claim identified. Three main inventive features were extracted from the independent claim.
Graphene/graphene oxide in electronic communication with electrodes
A portion of graphene and/or graphene oxide in electronic communication with a gold source electrode, a drain electrode, a gate electrode, or any combination thereof.
Aptamer in electrical communication with graphene
An aptamer in electrical communication with the portion of graphene and/or graphene oxide.
Linker comprising 4-carboxybenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate
The portion of graphene and/or graphene oxide connected to said aptamer via at least one linker that comprises 4-carboxybenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate.
The independent claim covers a sensor device combining (1) a portion of graphene and/or graphene oxide electrically interfaced to electrodes, (2) an aptamer in electrical communication with that graphene portion, and (3) connection of the aptamer to the graphene portion via at least one linker comprising 4-carboxybenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate.
Stated Advantages
Multiplexed real-time monitoring of organic and inorganic toxins in tap water.
High sensitivity and selectivity for target analytes such as BPA and Hg(II).
Scalable fabrication protocol to produce aptasensing arrays based on graphene field-effect transistors.
Low power consumption and wireless data transmission enabling extended autonomous operation.
Compatibility with conventional electronics and programmability to back-gate each transistor individually to maximize sensitivity.
Usefulness in environmental monitoring and toxicology and applicability to point-of-care diagnostics and healthcare.
Documented Applications
Environmental monitoring and toxicology.
Real-time monitoring of organic/inorganic toxins in tap water, exemplified by bisphenol A (BPA) and mercury ions (Hg(II)).
Real-time quality monitoring of real-world water bodies.
Graphene-enabled biosensing applications in point-of-care diagnostics and healthcare.
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