Impedimetric detection of cocaine by using an aptamer attached to a screen printed electrode modified with a dendrimer/silver nanoparticle nanocomposite

The authors describe a highly sensitive method for the aptamer (Apt) based impedimetric determination of cocaine. The surface of a screen-printed electrode (SPE) was modified with a nanocomposite of dendrimer and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The cocaine-binding Apt was attached to a dendrimer/AgNP/SPE surface, forming a sensitive layer for the determination of cocaine. The incubation with the analyte resulted in the formation of a cocaine/Apt complex on the electrode surface. As a consequence, folding and conformational change in the aptamer structure was induced, this resulting in a change in the impedimetric signal. The aptaassay exhibits highly efficient sensing characteristics with a good linearity of 1 fmol L-1 to 100 nmol L-1 (with two linear ranges) and a limit of detection (LOD) of 333 amol L-1. Its excellent specificity and high sensitivity suggest that this kind of aptamer-based assay may be applied to detect other targets in this field.