Fe2O3@Au core/shell nanoparticle-based electrochemical DNA biosensor for Escherichia coli detection

A Fe₂O₃@Au core/shell nanoparticle-based electrochemical DNA biosensor was developed for the amperometric detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli). Magnetic Fe₂O₃@Au nanoparticles were prepared by reducing HAuCl₄ on the surfaces of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles. This DNA biosensor is based on a sandwich detection strategy, which involves capture probe immobilized on magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), target and reporter probe labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Once magnetic field was added, these sandwich complexes were magnetically separated and HRP confined at the surfaces of MNPs could catalyze the enzyme substrate and generate electrochemical signals. The biosensor could detect the concentrations upper than 0.01 pM DNA target and upper than 500 cfu/mL of E. coli without any nucleic acid amplification steps. The detection limit could be lowered to 5 cfu/mL of E. coli after 4.0 h of incubation.