Functionalized carbon nanotubes and nanofibers for biosensing applications

This review summarizes recent advances in electrochemical biosensors based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with an emphasis on applications of CNTs. CNTs and CNFs have unique electric, electrocatalytic and mechanical properties, which make them efficient materials for developing electrochemical biosensors. We discuss functionalizing CNTs for biosensors. We review electrochemical biosensors based on CNTs and their various applications (e.g., measurement of small biological molecules and environmental pollutants, detection of DNA, and immunosensing of disease biomarkers). Moreover, we outline the development of electrochemical biosensors based on CNFs and their applications. Finally, we discuss some future applications of CNTs. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.