Desenvolvimento e caracterização de um novo nanocompósito baseado em ácido de grafeno e nanopartículas de cobre aplicado em biossensor eletroquímico na detecção do vírus Zika

Abstract

Nanotechnology is one of the booming fields of this era, in which it has achieved the status as one of the critical research endeavors of the early 21st century. The unique properties of atomic and molecular sets built on a nanometric scale, open the possibility of manipulating the physical, chemical, and biological properties of these particles, allowing the design and rational use of nanomaterials for different purposes. Advances in nanotechnology in recent years have given rise to new techniques and devices for biosensing. Thus, various nanodevices have gradually given way to the monitoring of different elements of interest in different areas, including biomedicine in disease diagnosis, pollutant control, pathogen detection, monitoring of manufacturing processes and transport systems. The aim of the present study was the manufacture and application of a nanocomposite based on copper nanoparticles (CuNP’s) and graphene acid (GA) for electrochemical biosensors. Copper nanoparticles were obtained by green synthesis using ginger extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent, producing NPs with an average size of 8.0 nm and graphene acid, synthesized by a simple methodology, leading to an increase in groups of carboxylic acids in the carbon network. This method improves the electronic properties of electrochemical platforms and contributes to increasing the sensitivity, selectivity, and stability of biosensors. Indirect detection of simple biomolecules such as Poly GA - Poly CT DNA sequences and specific as a gRNA fragment (ZIKV) for Zika virus detection indicated probe and target differentiation by increased electrochemical current response after specific target hybridization. Therefore, the product of the present study is of great interest to the industrial and research sector as a nanocomposite for biosensors obtained by green synthesis, being attractive for several applications due to the possibility of using a wide variety of specific elements of biological recognition, such as probes of DNA/RNA, antibodies, enzymes, proteins.