An ecofriendly AuNPs/semi-amorphous MOF-based sensor for in-situ testosterone monitoring for clinical diagnosis and doping control

A novel ecofriendly electrochemical sensor for in-situ detection of testosterone based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and a semi-amorphous metal organic framework (MOF) has been developed for clinical diagnosis and doping control. For this purpose, MIL-100(Fe) has been synthetized according to a gree...

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Main Authors: Cristina Tortolini, Federica Barbagallo, Daniele Passeri, Andrea Giacomo Marrani, Andrea M. Isidori, Daniele Gianfrilli, Riccarda Antiochia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Sensors
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsens.2025.1527587/full
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author Cristina Tortolini
Federica Barbagallo
Daniele Passeri
Andrea Giacomo Marrani
Andrea M. Isidori
Daniele Gianfrilli
Riccarda Antiochia
author_facet Cristina Tortolini
Federica Barbagallo
Daniele Passeri
Andrea Giacomo Marrani
Andrea M. Isidori
Daniele Gianfrilli
Riccarda Antiochia
author_sort Cristina Tortolini
collection DOAJ
description A novel ecofriendly electrochemical sensor for in-situ detection of testosterone based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and a semi-amorphous metal organic framework (MOF) has been developed for clinical diagnosis and doping control. For this purpose, MIL-100(Fe) has been synthetized according to a green path with crystallization times tuned in the range 2–24 h. The sensor platform was constructed via drop-casting MOF and AuNPs onto a graphene (GPH) screen-printed electrode (SPE) surface. The surface structure and morphology and the electrochemical properties of unmodified and modified electrodes were investigated by (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), demonstrating the enhanced electrochemical response of the platform modified with MOF obtained with the shorter crystallization time of 2 h (MOF2h) and AuNPs, compared to unmodified electrode. The AuNPs/MOF2h/GPH/SPE based sensor was responsive to nanomolar concentrations of testosterone, showing a wide linear range from 1 to 50 nM and a detection limit (LOD) of 0.5 nM, which correlates to the serum concentration values of healthy males. The combination of these results with the excellent performance maintained by the proposed sensor when interfaced with a miniaturized potentiostat (Sensit-Smart) directly connected to a smartphone, highlights the potential of this device towards in-situ electrochemical testosterone sensing, in particular for medical diagnosis and for doping control.
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spelling doaj-art-59e1535ef2ac464e899660e7efd2ea392025-08-20T02:49:44ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sensors2673-50672025-03-01610.3389/fsens.2025.15275871527587An ecofriendly AuNPs/semi-amorphous MOF-based sensor for in-situ testosterone monitoring for clinical diagnosis and doping controlCristina Tortolini0Federica Barbagallo1Daniele Passeri2Andrea Giacomo Marrani3Andrea M. Isidori4Daniele Gianfrilli5Riccarda Antiochia6Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, “Kore” University of Enna, Enna, ItalyDepartment of Basic and Applied Sciences for Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Chemistry and Drug Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyA novel ecofriendly electrochemical sensor for in-situ detection of testosterone based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and a semi-amorphous metal organic framework (MOF) has been developed for clinical diagnosis and doping control. For this purpose, MIL-100(Fe) has been synthetized according to a green path with crystallization times tuned in the range 2–24 h. The sensor platform was constructed via drop-casting MOF and AuNPs onto a graphene (GPH) screen-printed electrode (SPE) surface. The surface structure and morphology and the electrochemical properties of unmodified and modified electrodes were investigated by (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), demonstrating the enhanced electrochemical response of the platform modified with MOF obtained with the shorter crystallization time of 2 h (MOF2h) and AuNPs, compared to unmodified electrode. The AuNPs/MOF2h/GPH/SPE based sensor was responsive to nanomolar concentrations of testosterone, showing a wide linear range from 1 to 50 nM and a detection limit (LOD) of 0.5 nM, which correlates to the serum concentration values of healthy males. The combination of these results with the excellent performance maintained by the proposed sensor when interfaced with a miniaturized potentiostat (Sensit-Smart) directly connected to a smartphone, highlights the potential of this device towards in-situ electrochemical testosterone sensing, in particular for medical diagnosis and for doping control.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsens.2025.1527587/fullmetal-organic frameworksgold nanoparticleselectrochemical sensortestosteroneclinical diagnosisdoping control
spellingShingle Cristina Tortolini
Federica Barbagallo
Daniele Passeri
Andrea Giacomo Marrani
Andrea M. Isidori
Daniele Gianfrilli
Riccarda Antiochia
An ecofriendly AuNPs/semi-amorphous MOF-based sensor for in-situ testosterone monitoring for clinical diagnosis and doping control
Frontiers in Sensors
metal-organic frameworks
gold nanoparticles
electrochemical sensor
testosterone
clinical diagnosis
doping control
title An ecofriendly AuNPs/semi-amorphous MOF-based sensor for in-situ testosterone monitoring for clinical diagnosis and doping control
title_full An ecofriendly AuNPs/semi-amorphous MOF-based sensor for in-situ testosterone monitoring for clinical diagnosis and doping control
title_fullStr An ecofriendly AuNPs/semi-amorphous MOF-based sensor for in-situ testosterone monitoring for clinical diagnosis and doping control
title_full_unstemmed An ecofriendly AuNPs/semi-amorphous MOF-based sensor for in-situ testosterone monitoring for clinical diagnosis and doping control
title_short An ecofriendly AuNPs/semi-amorphous MOF-based sensor for in-situ testosterone monitoring for clinical diagnosis and doping control
title_sort ecofriendly aunps semi amorphous mof based sensor for in situ testosterone monitoring for clinical diagnosis and doping control
topic metal-organic frameworks
gold nanoparticles
electrochemical sensor
testosterone
clinical diagnosis
doping control
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsens.2025.1527587/full
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