Electrochemical sensor for the rapid detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa siderophore based on a nanocomposite platform

The rapid and accurate detection of pathogenic agents represents a milestone for precocious diagnosis and personalized therapy in nosocomial infections. The issue can be addressed by the rational identification of certain bacteria markers, such as siderophores, that are highly involved in their metabolism and also in their interactions with the host. Developing sensors with a high sensitivity and selectivity towards this type of compounds could be an important starting point in the direction of a rapid differential diagnosis of bacterial infections. Herein we report the elaboration of a nanohybrid sensing platform based on graphene, polypyrrole and gold for the detection of pyoverdine, a marker for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The composite material showed a catalytic effect towards the electronic transfer rate and enhanced active surface area, displaying a limit of detection of 0.33 mu M and a linear range of 1-100 mu M being obtained. The sensor was tested in the presence of common interfering molecules, found in hospital environments or in biological samples and excellent recovery rates were obtained. The selectivity of the sensor was also proved to be successful when testing on real samples such as human serum, saliva and tap water.