A label-free impedimetric lab on a chip (iLOC) is fabricated using protein (bovine serum albumin) and antiapolipoprotein B functionalized carbon nanotubes-nickel oxide (CNT-NiO) nanocomposite for low-density lipoprotein (LDL) detection. The antiapolipoprotein B (AAB) functionalized CNT-NiO microfluidic electrode is assembled with polydimethylsiloxane rectangular microchannels (cross section: 100 × 100 μm). Cytotoxicity of the synthesized CNTs, NiO nanoparticles, and CNT-NiO nanocomposite has been investigated in the presence of lung epithelial cancer A549 cell line using MTT assay. The CNT-NiO nanocomposite shows higher cell viability at a concentration of 6.5 μg/mL compared to those using individual CNTs. The cell viability and proliferation studies reveal that the toxicity increases with increasing CNTs concentration. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies have been used to quantify the functional groups present on the CNT-NiO electrode surface before and after proteins functionalization. The binding kinetic and electrochemical activities of CNT-NiO based iLOC have been conducted using chronocoulometry and impedance spectroscopic techniques. This iLOC shows excellent sensitivity of 5.37 kΩ (mg/dL)(-1) and a low detection limit of 0.63 mg/dL in a wide concentration range (5-120 mg/dL) of LDL. The binding kinetics of antigen-antibody interaction of LDL molecules reveal a high association rate constant (8.13 M(-1) s(-1)). Thus, this smart nanocomposite (CNT-NiO) based iLOC has improved stability and reproducibility and has implications toward in vivo diagnostics.
Keywords: antiapolipoprotein B; cytotoxicity; impedance; lab-on-a-chip; label-free immunosensor; low density lipoprotein.