A nonenzymatic sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor using corallite-like magnetic Fe3O4@MnO2@Pt nanocomposites was developed for the sensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). First, aminated graphene (GS-NH2) sheets were synthesized from graphite oxide using the Hummers' method, which was used to immobilize the primary antibody via the active amino groups on the GS-NH2. Second, corallite-like Fe3O4@MnO2@Pt nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). They were used as labels to conjugate with a secondary antibody. The multiple amplification of Fe3O4@MnO2@Pt NPs and the promoted electron transfer of GS-NH2 lead to a broad linear range from 0.5 pg/mL to 20 ng/mL and a low detection limit with 0.16 pg/mL. In addition, the immunosensor performed with good selectivity and acceptable stability and reproducibility as well. The results are satisfactory when the proposed method has been applied to analyze human serum samples. Thus, there would be a promising future in the early diagnosis of cancer to detect CEA and other tumor markers.
Keywords: Fe3O4@MnO2@Pt nanoparticles; aminated graphene sheets; carcinoembryonic antigen; electrochemical immunosensor; signal amplification.