A colorimetric sensor array for detection and discrimination of biothiols based on aggregation of gold nanoparticles

[Display omitted] •We have developed a simple colorimetric sensor array for detection of biological thiols.•We obtained discrimination of Cys, GSH and GSSG on a score plot and HCA dendrogram.•Visual discrimination is achieved by color difference maps.•This approach shows high selectivity toward Cys, GSH and GSSG over amino acids. Developments of sensitive, rapid, and cheap systems for identification of a wide range of biomolecules have been recognized as a critical need in the biology field. Here, we introduce a simple colorimetric sensor array for detection of biological thiols, based on aggregation of three types of surface engineered gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The low-molecular-weight biological thiols show high affinity to the surface of AuNPs; this causes replacement of AuNPs’ shells with thiol containing target molecules leading to the aggregation of the AuNPs through intermolecular electrostatic interaction or hydrogen-bonding. As a result of the predetermined aggregation, color and UV–vis spectra of AuNPs are changed. We employed the digital mapping approach to analyze the spectral variations with statistical and chemometric methods, including hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). The proposed array could successfully differentiate biological molecules (e.g., cysteine, glutathione and glutathione disulfide) from other potential interferences such as amino acids in the concentration range of 10–800μmolL−1.