Highly Sensitive Chitosan and ZrO2 Nanoparticles-Based Electrochemical Sensor for 8-Hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine Determination

Background: 8-Hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) has been regarded as a typical stable biomarker of DNA oxidative damage, and its level is one of the criteria for early diagnosis of various diseases. Considering the significance of 8-OhdG, various analytical techniques have been used for assaying 8-OHdG but all of them suffer from basic limitations like highly expensive instrumentation, large amount of sample requirement, complicated sample pre-treatment, tedious and time-consuming procedures etc. However, electroanalytical sensors provide a faster, easy and sensitive means of analyzing. Methods: The chitosan (CS) film provided the high electrode activity and stability which is required for detecting 8-OHdG though direct electrochemical oxidation. Zirconia was employed because it has some unique properties, such as high redox activity and selectivity etc. High-performance composite was easily detected by differential pulse voltammetry at a working voltage of 0. 51 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). A rapid and sensitive electrochemical sensor based on CS and metal oxide nanocrystalline for the determination of 8-OHdG was established. Results: Under optimized experimental conditions, the peak currents of differential pulse voltammetry increased as the concentrations of 8-OHdG increased from 10 to 200 ng·mL-1. The detection limit was 3.67 ng·mL-1 which was calculated by the S/N ratio of 3. The recoveries of the real spiked samples are in the range between 93.2 to 105.3%. Conclusion: The electrochemical sensor for direct 8-OHdG determination using a new CS/zirconia composite for GCE modification was developed and showed excellent reproducibility, stability and sensitivity for the specific determination of 8-OHdG in real urine specimen.