Rapid detection of free and bound toxins using molecularly imprinted silica/graphene oxide hybrids

Rapid, selective detection of biological analytes is necessary for early diagnosis, but is often complicated by the analytes being bound to proteins and the lack of fast and reliable systems available for their direct assessment. Here, a cheap, easily-assembled molecularly imprinted silica/graphene oxide hybrid is developed, which can selectively detect toxins linked to early-stage chronic kidney disease, down to femtomolar concentrations within 5 minutes. The hybrid material is capable of simultaneously and separately measuring free and bound analytes using with an ultra-low limit of detection in the femtomolar range, and uses processes intrinsically adaptable to any charged molecular analyte. A miniaturised electrochemical sensor integrating a molecularly imprinted silica/graphene oxide hybrid with non-equilibrium pulse amperometry for the fast quantification of free and bound toxins.