3,4,9,10-Perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride functionalized graphene sheet as labels for ultrasensitive electrochemiluminescent detection of thrombin

A novel tracer, 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) functionalized graphene sheet (GS) composite (GS–TCDA), is employed to label the secondary anti-thrombin aptamer (TBA) to construct an ultrasensitive electrochemiluminescent sandwich-type aptasensor. The GS provided large surface area for loading abundant PTCDA and TBA with good stability and biocompatibility. Because of the excellent electroconductivity of GS and the desirable optical properties of PTCDA, the as-formed Apt II bioconjugate considerably amplified the electrochmiluminescence (ECL) signal of peroxydisulfate (S₂O₈²⁻) and worked as the desirable label for Apt II. On the basis of the considerably amplified ECL signal and sandwich format, an extremely wide range from 1 fM to 1 nM with an ultralow detection limit of 0.33 fM for thrombin was obtained. Additionally, the selectivity and stability of the proposed aptasensor were also excellent. Thus, this procedure has great promise for detection of thrombin present at ultra-trace levels during early stage of diseases.