Nitrogen doped carbon materials for electrochemical sensing of clinically relevant biomoleculer and heavy metals

Abstract

Quantification of clinically relevant biomolecules holds significant importance for ensuring better diagnostics and therapeutics. Moreover, accurate and reliable determination of biomolecules remains crucial for understanding the physiological homeostasis and complex biological processes. Electrochemical techniques prove to be the most promising approach for obtaining maximal sensitivity and selectivity towards determination of biomolecules. The ever growing demand for developing femto, pico, and nano sensitive electrochemical sensors demands the assistance of novel nanomaterials for improving the sensitivity and selectivity towards biomolecules. Therefore, the present work focuses on development of highly active carbon based electrocatalyst materials (as an alternative to “existing state of art materials”) for electrochemical sensing of clinically significant biomolecules including ascorbic acid, dopamine and uric acid. Considering the coexistence of ascorbic acid, dopamine and uric acid for maintaining physiological homeostasis within human body, initially mesoporous nitrogen rich carbon (MNC) was explored for the simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid, dopamine and uric acid. The electrocatalytic activity of the MNC material was analyzed using various electroanalytical techniques including cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry and chronoamperometry. Further, addressing various neurological disorders selective determination of dopamine was carried out using composites of nitrogen functionalized carbon nanotubes (NCNT) and imidazolium based ionic liquids (Bmim-BF4) for effectively eliminating the interference of ascorbic acid. In addition, the thesis also attempts towards exploring the potential of various nitrogen containing functionalities towards electrochemical sensing of Pb and Cd metal ions.