Using silver nanoparticle and thiol graphene quantum dots nanocomposite as a substratum to load antibody for detection of hepatitis C virus core antigen: Electrochemical oxidation of riboflavin was used as redox probe

In this study a facile green approach to employ silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) and thiol graphene quantum dots (GQD-SH) as the nanomaterial for ultrasensitive and selective detection of hepatitis C virus core antigen (HCV) have been investigated. AgNPs/GQD-SH was utilized as a substratum to load antibody for detection of hepatitis C virus core antigen. AgNPs have been immobilized on SH groups of GQDs via bonding formation of Ag-S and anti-HCV have been loaded on the electrode surface via the interaction between NH2 group of antibody and AgNPs. Using the proposed nanocomposite provides a specific platform with increased surface which is capable of loading more antibodies to entrap the antigen. The decreasing of the electrochemical signal can be achieved after the specific recognition between antibodies and antigens. Riboflavin was used as a biological molecule with inherent properties, for the first time, as the redox probe in the development of HCV core antigen electrochemical immunosensor. Compared to the other redox probes, riboflavin is superior in its oxidization in negative potential range, where the number of interfering species for riboflavin is much fewer. The proposed immunosensor showed wide linear range from 0.05 pg mL(-1) to 60 ng mL(-1) with limit of detection of 3 fg mL(-1). This novel immunosensor was used to analyze the serum sample. The immunosensor provides a convenient, low-cost and simple method for HCV core antigen detection and proposes new horizons for quantitative detection of antigen in the clinical diagnosis.