Detection of hexanal gas as a volatile organic compound cancer biomarker using a nanocomposite of gold nanoparticles and selective polymers

•Hexanal is a biomarker of lung cancer.•Hexanal gas detection was done by a Chemiresistive sensor.•Conductive sensing layer was nanocomposite of MIP and gold nanoparticles.•Sensing was done in different biological matrices. A new chemiresistive sensor for detection of hexanal, as a volatile organic compound, was constructed based on a nanocomposite of gold nanoparticles and molecularly imprinted polymers. Changes in volatile organic compounds levels are associated to a variety of health problems like cancers. The nanocomposite was drop casted on the surface of an interdigitated electrode and the electrical response and resistance change of the sensor were analyzed by fast Fourier transform cyclic voltammetry in the presence of different concentrations of hexanal gas. The ability of the sensor to detect hexanal in the headspace of different biological matrices like cell culture medium, serum, plasma, urine, and saliva was also examined. The calculated limit of detection and linear range of the sensor were determined as 1.1 ppm and 2.5–300 ppm respectively. The sensor showed three times more sensitivity to hexanal than other volatile organic compounds with similar carbon atom number in the selectivity test.