Current Trends in the Use of Semiconducting Materials for Electrochemical Aptasensing

Aptamers are synthetic single-stranded oligonucleotides that exhibit selective binding properties to specific targets, thereby providing a powerful basis for the development of and sensitive (bio)chemical assays. Electrochemical biosensors utilizing aptamers as biological recognition elements, namely aptasensors, at forefront current research. They exploit combination unique with advantages electrochemical detection view fabricate inexpensive portable analytical platforms rapid in point-of-care (POC) applications or on-site monitoring. The immobilization on suitable substrates is paramount importance order preserve their functionality optimize sensors’ sensitivity. This work describes different strategies surface semiconductor-based working electrodes, including metal oxides, conductive polymers, carbon allotropes. These presented tunable band gaps various morphologies preparation low cost, highly versatile aptasensor devices chemistry. A survey literature provided, discussing each method. Future trends outlined which envisage aptamer-based biosensing using semiconductors.