June 15, 2024 | Suchanan Boonkaew, Katarzyna Szot-Karpińska, Joanna Niedziółka-Jönsson, Ario de Marco, and Martin Jönsson-Niedziółka
This study presents a portable electrochemical biosensor that integrates an NFC (Near Field Communication) potentiostat with a flow-through microfluidic device for the detection of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), an inflammation biomarker. The biosensor uses nanobodies, which are more suitable for fabricating electrochemical sensors with NFC technology, to enhance sensitivity and stability. The device is designed to be user-friendly, rapid (within 15 minutes), and cost-effective (under 0.2 € per device). Key features include high sensitivity, a wide linear range of detection (10 ng mL⁻¹–100 μg mL⁻¹), and high specificity for CRP, even in the presence of other proteins. The biosensor's performance was validated using artificial serum, plasma, and whole blood samples, demonstrating accurate and reliable CRP quantification without the need for sample pretreatment. The NFC-based system offers a promising alternative for point-of-care testing, particularly in settings where advanced clinical equipment is lacking.This study presents a portable electrochemical biosensor that integrates an NFC (Near Field Communication) potentiostat with a flow-through microfluidic device for the detection of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), an inflammation biomarker. The biosensor uses nanobodies, which are more suitable for fabricating electrochemical sensors with NFC technology, to enhance sensitivity and stability. The device is designed to be user-friendly, rapid (within 15 minutes), and cost-effective (under 0.2 € per device). Key features include high sensitivity, a wide linear range of detection (10 ng mL⁻¹–100 μg mL⁻¹), and high specificity for CRP, even in the presence of other proteins. The biosensor's performance was validated using artificial serum, plasma, and whole blood samples, demonstrating accurate and reliable CRP quantification without the need for sample pretreatment. The NFC-based system offers a promising alternative for point-of-care testing, particularly in settings where advanced clinical equipment is lacking.