Herein we report a low cost, sensitive, supercapacitor-powered electrochemiluminescent (ECL) protein immunoarray fabricated by an inexpensive 3-dimensional (3D) printer. The immunosensor detects three cancer biomarker proteins in serum within 35 min. The 3D-printed device employs hand screen printed carbon sensors with gravity flow for sample/reagent delivery and washing. Prostate cancer biomarker proteins, prostate specific antigen (PSA), prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and platelet factor-4 (PF-4) in serum were captured on the antibody-coated carbon sensors followed by delivery of detection-antibody-coated Ru(bpy)3(2+) (RuBPY)-doped silica nanoparticles in a sandwich immunoassay. ECL light was initiated from RuBPY in the silica nanoparticles by electrochemical oxidation with tripropylamine (TPrA) co-reactant using supercapacitor power and ECL was captured with a CCD camera. The supercapacitor was rapidly photo-recharged between assays using an inexpensive solar cell. Detection limits were 300-500f gmL(-1) for the 3 proteins in undiluted calf serum. Assays of 6 prostate cancer patient serum samples gave good correlation with conventional single protein ELISAs. This technology could provide sensitive onsite cancer diagnostic tests in resource-limited settings with the need for only moderate-level training.
Keywords: 3D-printing; Biomarker proteins; ECL immunoarray; Microfluidics; Prostate cancer; Supercapacitor.
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