Detection of lymphoma biomarker ferritin using functionalized carbon nanotube platform

Abstract

For the detection of ferritin, this work engineered an electrochemical immunosensor by functionalizing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and integrating them into a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) platform. Under optimal conditions (pH 7.4, antibody concentration 10 μg/mL, incubation time 30 min), the developed immunosensor exhibited a linear relationship between the electrochemical signal and ferritin concentrations spanning 1–500 ng/mL. Notably, it demonstrated an impressive ability to detect ferritin at exceptionally low levels, with a limit of detection reaching 0.3 ng/mL. The immunosensor demonstrated high selectivity, good reproducibility (RSD = 3.2 %, n = 5), and stability (87.3 % of initial response after 14 days at 4°C). The immunosensor was used to sensing ferritin in serum and good agreement with the commercial ELISA method (relative error < 5 %). The proposed sensor shows promise as a analytical approach for early diagnosis of lymphoma and point-of-care testing.

Keywords

• Electrochemical immunosensor
• Functionalized MWCNTs
• Ferritin
• Lymphoma biomarker
• Point-of-care testing