Calibration-Free Electrochemical Biosensors Supporting Accurate Molecular Measurements Directly in Undiluted Whole Blood

J Am Chem Soc. 2017 Aug 16;139(32):11207-11213. doi: 10.1021/jacs.7b05412. Epub 2017 Aug 2.

Abstract

The need to calibrate to correct for sensor-to-sensor fabrication variation and sensor drift has proven a significant hurdle in the widespread use of biosensors. To maintain clinically relevant (±20% for this application) accuracy, for example, commercial continuous glucose monitors require recalibration several times a day, decreasing convenience and increasing the chance of user errors. Here, however, we demonstrate a "dual-frequency" approach for achieving the calibration-free operation of electrochemical biosensors that generate an output by using square-wave voltammetry to monitor binding-induced changes in electron transfer kinetics. Specifically, we use the square-wave frequency dependence of their response to produce a ratiometric signal, the ratio of peak currents collected at responsive and non- (or low) responsive square-wave frequencies, which is largely insensitive to drift and sensor-to-sensor fabrication variations. Using electrochemical aptamer-based (E-AB) biosensors as our test bed, we demonstrate the accurate and precise operation of sensors against multiple drugs, achieving accuracy in the measurement of their targets of within better than 20% across dynamic ranges of up to 2 orders of magnitude without the need to calibrate each individual sensor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anesthetics, Local / blood
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / blood
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / blood
  • Aptamers, Nucleotide / chemistry*
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Calibration
  • Cocaine / blood
  • Doxorubicin / blood
  • Electrochemical Techniques / methods*
  • Humans
  • Kanamycin / blood
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations / blood*

Substances

  • Anesthetics, Local
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Aptamers, Nucleotide
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations
  • Kanamycin
  • Doxorubicin
  • Cocaine