Impedimetric Salmonella aptasensor using a glassy carbon electrode modified with an electrodeposited composite consisting of reduced graphene oxide and carbon nanotubes

We describe a Salmonella biosensor that was obtained by electrochemical immobilization of a nanocomposite consisting of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and carboxy-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) directly on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). An amino-modified aptamer specific for Salmonella was covalently bound to the rGO-MWCNT composite via amide bonds. The morphology of the rGO-MWCNT nanocomposite was characterized by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to monitor all steps during assembly. When exposed to samples containing Salmonella, the anti-Salmonella aptamer on the electrode captures its target. Hence, electron transfer is blocked, and this results in a large increase in impedance. Salmonella can be quantified by this aptasensor, typically operated at a working voltage of 0.2 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), in the range from 75 to 7.5 × 105 cfu⋅mL−1 and detection limit of 25 cfu⋅mL−1 (at an S/N of 3). The method is perceived to have a wide scope in that other bacteria may be detected by analogy to this approach and with very low limits of detection by applying respective analyte-specific aptamers.