Electrochemical Sensing in Medical Diagnosis

A special issue of Chemosensors (ISSN 2227-9040). This special issue belongs to the section "Electrochemical Devices and Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 8809

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Interests: design, preparation and application of different nanostructured electrochemical bioplatforms for the determination of emerging biomarkers relating to the human microbiome and autoimmune diseases in clinical samples

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The continuous development of society in science, technology and industry has allowed the longevity of the human population to increase. However, health problems and associated diseases represent a significant challenge in contemporary society increasingly concerned about health, meaning that interest in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases has grown rapidly.

Since clinical analyses in a clinical chemistry laboratory are costly and time-consuming processes today, one of the main challenges in medical diagnostics is the development of methods to perform these rapid analyses in situ.

In recent years, electrochemical sensors have become of increasing interest as engineered biomedical tools for the laboratory as well as point-of-care (POC) diagnostics of reliable molecules in personal health care due to their high sensitivity and selectivity, portable field-based size, rapid response time, low-cost and the possibility of being highly flexible, non-invasive, implantable/wearable, biocompatible, lightweight and easy to fabricate.

One of the main goals when developing these types of platforms is their ability to function while being directly connected to a system, either externally, on human skin, or internally, on soft tissue, to ensure the accurate and reliable in situ measurement of parameters, physiological (pH, temperature, heart rate, neural signals, blood pressure) or biomarker content in real-time.

The aim of this Special Issue on Chemosensors is to focus on the most recent approaches to performing innovative and enhanced electrochemical sensing in medical diagnosis.

Both review articles and research papers on these highlighted topics are welcome.

This topic fits within the scope of Chemosensors because it provides an advanced forum for the science and technology of electrochemical sensors and related analytical methods and systems in medical diagnosis.

Dr. Esther Sanchez-Tirado
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • electrochemical sensors
  • functionalized electrodes
  • novel structures and materials
  • bioreceptor immobilization
  • healthcare
  • medical diagnosis
  • point-of-care devices

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 1426 KiB  
Article
Low-Cost Wireless Device for DNA Sensing Using Square Wave Voltammetry
by Antonio Lazaro, Ramon Villarino, David Girbau, Hedieh Haji-Hashemi and Beatriz Prieto-Simon
Chemosensors 2025, 13(4), 119; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors13040119 - 1 Apr 2025
Viewed by 249
Abstract
This paper presents a low-cost wireless prototype designed for point-of-care DNA sensing based on square wave voltammetry (SWV) measurements. Unlike other designs found in the literature, this prototype employs dedicated ADC and DAC components to reduce noise and allows for lower voltage steps [...] Read more.
This paper presents a low-cost wireless prototype designed for point-of-care DNA sensing based on square wave voltammetry (SWV) measurements. Unlike other designs found in the literature, this prototype employs dedicated ADC and DAC components to reduce noise and allows for lower voltage steps in SWV scans. On-board signal processing makes the device suitable for use by inexperienced end-users. The prototype transmits data via Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) to a mobile app, which records the measurements on a cloud platform. The prototype was employed to detect a 23-base single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) sequence, within the range of 1 nM to 10 nM. The results obtained with the prototype showed good agreement when compared to a commercial electrochemical analyzer. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using such a device for DNA sensing, highlighting its potential for broader biosensing applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrochemical Sensing in Medical Diagnosis)
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14 pages, 2280 KiB  
Article
Preclinical Validation of an Electrochemical Sensor for Alcohol Consumption Monitoring in a Polydrug Self-Administration Animal Model
by Lucía Garrido-Matilla, Roberto María-Hormigos, Olga Monago-Maraña, Alberto Marcos, Emilio Ambrosio and Agustin G. Crevillen
Chemosensors 2025, 13(3), 97; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors13030097 - 8 Mar 2025
Viewed by 460
Abstract
An electrochemical sensor for identification and monitoring of alcoholism was preclinically validated by analyzing plasma from polydrug-consuming rats (alcohol and cocaine). The sensor measures by adsorptive transfer square wave voltammetry the glycosylation level of transferrin, which is an alcoholism biomarker, through a recently [...] Read more.
An electrochemical sensor for identification and monitoring of alcoholism was preclinically validated by analyzing plasma from polydrug-consuming rats (alcohol and cocaine). The sensor measures by adsorptive transfer square wave voltammetry the glycosylation level of transferrin, which is an alcoholism biomarker, through a recently reported parameter called the electrochemical index of glycosylation (EIG). Three rat groups were designed: saline group, cocaine group, and cocaine–alcohol group. Moreover, two periods of withdrawal were studied, after 2 days and 30 days. The alcohol–cocaine group after 2 days of withdrawal showed significantly lower EIG values (p < 0.1) than the rest of groups and also alcohol–cocaine group after 30 days of withdrawal, so the sensor was able to identify the alcohol consumption in rats and to monitor the recovery of glycosylation level after 30 days of withdrawal, even combined with cocaine. Furthermore, the effect of sex was also considered. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were developed for each sex and the corresponding cut-off values were determined. The sensor showed a clinical sensitivity of 70% for male and 75% for female, and a specificity of 67% for both sexes. This preclinical validation demonstrated the possibilities of this sensor for point of care testing of alcoholism, even in cocaine addicts, making it a potential tool for diagnosis and monitoring of alcohol consumption in detox treatments for humans. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrochemical Sensing in Medical Diagnosis)
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14 pages, 6305 KiB  
Article
A Comprehensive Study of P-g-C3N4/MOF-199 Composite for Electrochemical Sensing of Metformin in Pharmaceutical Samples
by Sara Dehdashtian, Shengnian Wang and Teresa A. Murray
Chemosensors 2025, 13(3), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors13030082 - 2 Mar 2025
Viewed by 527
Abstract
A novel electrochemical sensor (P-g-C3N4/MOF-199/CPE) was developed to determine the metformin concentration in pharmaceutical samples. In this sensor, the copper units of MOF-199 of the composite electrode specifically capture metformin molecules so that the sensing selectivity is remarkably improved. [...] Read more.
A novel electrochemical sensor (P-g-C3N4/MOF-199/CPE) was developed to determine the metformin concentration in pharmaceutical samples. In this sensor, the copper units of MOF-199 of the composite electrode specifically capture metformin molecules so that the sensing selectivity is remarkably improved. Phosphorus-doped graphitic carbon nitrides (P-g-C3N4) further enhance the electrical conductivity and sensitivity of the sensor. The physical and chemical properties of these electrode modifiers were first characterized, followed by electrochemical sensing tests of metformin under different scan rates and pH values. A 39-fold increase in the electrooxidation current of metformin was found in this composite electrode when compared to its bare carbon paste counterpart. A limit of detection (LOD) of 0.15 nM was achieved in the linear sensing range of 0.5 to 1200 nM for metformin. The sensor also showed good reliability and recovery when detecting metformin in pharmaceutical samples. For the first time, we addressed the appearance of adsorption-based peaks in the voltammograms of electrochemical sensors for metformin as a common feature when copper ions are incorporated into the electrode structure. The electrochemical mechanism of metformin was also illustrated by highlighting the hydrolysis of oxime. The nature of all pH-dependent anodic and cathodic peaks in our sensing results confirms the proposed mechanism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrochemical Sensing in Medical Diagnosis)
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17 pages, 4649 KiB  
Article
A Machine Learning Approach for Enhanced Glucose Prediction in Biosensors
by António Abreu, Daniela dos Santos Oliveira, Inês Vinagre, Dionisios Cavouras, Joaquim A. Alves, Ana I. Pereira, José Lima and Felismina T. C. Moreira
Chemosensors 2025, 13(2), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors13020052 - 4 Feb 2025
Viewed by 880
Abstract
The detection of glucose is crucial for diagnosing diseases such as diabetes and enables timely medical intervention. In this study, a disposable enzymatic screen-printed electrode electrochemical biosensor enhanced with machine learning (ML) for quantifying glucose in serum is presented. The platinum working surface [...] Read more.
The detection of glucose is crucial for diagnosing diseases such as diabetes and enables timely medical intervention. In this study, a disposable enzymatic screen-printed electrode electrochemical biosensor enhanced with machine learning (ML) for quantifying glucose in serum is presented. The platinum working surface was modified by chemical adsorption with biographene (BGr) and glucose oxidase, and the enzyme was encapsulated in polydopamine (PDP) by electropolymerisation. Electrochemical characterisation and morphological analysis (scanning and transmission electron microscopy) confirmed the modifications. Calibration curves in Cormay serum (CS) and selectivity tests with chronoamperometry were used to evaluate the biosensor’s performance. Non-linear ML regression algorithms for modelling glucose concentration and calibration parameters were tested to find the best-fit model for accurate predictions. The biosensor with BGr and enzyme encapsulation showed excellent performance with a linear range of 0.75–40 mM, a correlation of 0.988, and a detection limit of 0.078 mM. Of the algorithms tested, the decision tree accurately predicted calibration parameters and achieved a coefficient of determination above 0.9 for most metrics. Multilayer perceptron models effectively predicted glucose concentration with a coefficient of determination of 0.828, demonstrating the synergy of biosensor technology and ML for reliable glucose detection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrochemical Sensing in Medical Diagnosis)
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Review

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18 pages, 3643 KiB  
Review
Engineered Intelligent Electrochemical Biosensors for Portable Point-of-Care Diagnostics
by Jiamin Lin, Yuanyuan Chen, Xiaohui Liu, Hui Jiang and Xuemei Wang
Chemosensors 2025, 13(4), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors13040146 - 16 Apr 2025
Viewed by 323
Abstract
The development of cost-effective, rapid-response, and user-friendly biosensing platforms has become paramount importance for achieving precise biomarker quantification in early disease detection. Implementing timely diagnostic interventions through accurate biomarker analysis not only significantly improves treatment outcomes but also enables effective disease management strategies, [...] Read more.
The development of cost-effective, rapid-response, and user-friendly biosensing platforms has become paramount importance for achieving precise biomarker quantification in early disease detection. Implementing timely diagnostic interventions through accurate biomarker analysis not only significantly improves treatment outcomes but also enables effective disease management strategies, ultimately leading to substantial reductions in patient mortality rates. These clinical imperatives have consequently driven the innovation of portable point-of-care (POC) diagnostic systems. Electrochemical biosensors are attractive in the early diagnosis of diseases due to their low cost, simple operation, and high sensitivity. This review examines prevalent material innovations in electrode functionalization for electrochemical biosensing platforms, with specific emphasis on their translational applications in early-stage disease detection. The analysis included three important early diagnostic biomarker types: proteins, nucleic acids, and small molecule metabolites. Furthermore, the work proposes novel research trajectories for next-generation biosensor development, advocating the synergistic integration of artificial intelligence-driven analytics, Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)-enabled diagnostic networks, and advanced micro/nanofabrication techniques. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrochemical Sensing in Medical Diagnosis)
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31 pages, 7907 KiB  
Review
Oriented Immobilization of IgG for Immunosensor Development
by Yihan Zhang, Mingjie Ma, Haji Akber Aisa and Longyi Chen
Chemosensors 2025, 13(2), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors13020050 - 3 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1416
Abstract
The realization of the oriented immobilization of antibodies onto the surfaces of solid or nanometal particles constitutes a significant approach for enhancing the performance of electrochemical immunosensors. In light of the research findings of predecessors, this review showcases several immobilization methods, categorizing them [...] Read more.
The realization of the oriented immobilization of antibodies onto the surfaces of solid or nanometal particles constitutes a significant approach for enhancing the performance of electrochemical immunosensors. In light of the research findings of predecessors, this review showcases several immobilization methods, categorizing them into covalent binding pathways, bioaffinity techniques, and other binding modalities for elaboration. Emphasis is placed on expounding the binding sites, binding mechanisms, as well as the merits and drawbacks of binding techniques such as those involving disulfide bonds, glycan chains, protein A, G, and DNA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrochemical Sensing in Medical Diagnosis)
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31 pages, 9994 KiB  
Review
Recent Advances in the Application of Metal–Organic Frameworks and Coordination Polymers in Electrochemical Biosensors
by Alemayehu Kidanemariam and Sungbo Cho
Chemosensors 2024, 12(7), 135; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors12070135 - 9 Jul 2024
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3196
Abstract
Electrochemical biosensors are critical in advancing biomedical and pharmaceutical therapies because of their adaptability and cost-effectiveness. Voltammetric and amperometric sensors are of particular interest. These sensors typically consist of a specialized tip or biorecognition element and a transducer that converts biological data into [...] Read more.
Electrochemical biosensors are critical in advancing biomedical and pharmaceutical therapies because of their adaptability and cost-effectiveness. Voltammetric and amperometric sensors are of particular interest. These sensors typically consist of a specialized tip or biorecognition element and a transducer that converts biological data into readable signals. Efficient biosensor materials are essential for addressing health emergencies, with coordination polymers (CPs) and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) showing promise. Functionalization strategies are necessary to enhance the usability of pristine MOFs, owing to issues such as low conductivity. The integration of conductive polymers with MOFs has resulted in the development of highly efficient biosensors. Both enzymatic and nonenzymatic biosensors are used for analyte detection; nonenzymatic approaches are gaining popularity owing to their durability and accuracy. MOFs and CPs have been applied in sensitive electrochemical biosensors to detect fatal brain tumors such as glioblastomas (GBM). These biosensors demonstrate enhanced selectivity and sensitivity, highlighting the potential of MOFs and CPs in advancing electrochemical biosensor technology for both in vivo and in vitro applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrochemical Sensing in Medical Diagnosis)
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