Voltammetric aptasensor for bisphenol A based on the use of a MWCNT/Fe3O4@gold nanocomposite

The present study describes an electrochemical aptamer-based method for the determination of bisphenol A (BPA). It is making use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) immobilized on a conjugate between multiwalled carbon nanotubes and thiol-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MWCNT/Fe3O4-SH) that are modified with an aptamer. The nanocomposite was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, elemental mapping analysis and energy dispersive X-ray diffraction. The aptasensor, typically operated at 0.20 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), has a linear response in the 0.1 to 8 nM BPA concentration range, a low detection limit (0.03 nM), and high sensitivity (86.43 mu A nM(-1) cm(-2)). Voltammetric experiments were performed by using the hexacyanoferrate redox system as an electrochemical probe. The results indicate that the presence of AuNPs, magnetic nanoparticles and MWCNTs results a synergistic electrochemical augmentation. The method is highly selective, sensitive, efficient and environmentally friendly. The method was successfully applied to the determination of BPA in spiked real samples.