Spermine biomarker of cancerous cells voltammetrically detected on a poly(β-cyclodextrin) - electropolymerized carbon film dispersed with Cu - CNFs

Spermine, a biomarker of cancerous cells, is electrochemically detected using poly(beta-cyclodextrin) recognition element electro-polymerized on a Cu-carbon nanofiber (CNF)-dispersed carbon film. The carbon film was prepared by carbonization of a phenol-formaldehyde polymeric film in situ dispersed with Cu nanoparticles during the polymerization stage, and the CNFs were grown on the carbon film using chemical vapor deposition. The prepared biosensor showed good repeatability and reproducibility in the clinical spermine samples when tested using differential pulse voltammetry over the concentration range 0.005-100 mg L-1. The limit of detection was considerably low at 0.001 mg L-1. Besides showing good linearity with R-2 = 0.9885 and 0.9955 over the concentration ranges 0.005-2 and 2-100 mg L-1, respectively, the measurements were unaffected by interfering biomolecules such as cholesterol, glutamine, and putrescine in blood. The technique including materials and methods described in this study can be modified to develop biosensors for the fast and easy detection of the biomolecules that can serve as biomarkers of the other chronic diseases.