Cited by 2,329Electrochemical sensors and biosensorsAdvanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniquesElectrochemical Analysis and Applications

Electrochemical Biosensors - Sensor Principles and Architectures

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Grieshaber, Dorothee, MacKenzie, Robert, Vörös, Janos, Reimhult, Erik·2008·Sensors

Abstract

Quantification of biological or biochemical processes are of utmost importance for medical, biological and biotechnological applications. However, converting the biological information to an easily processed electronic signal is challenging due to the complexity of connecting an electronic device directly to a biological environment. Electrochemical biosensors provide an attractive means to analyze the content of a biological sample due to the direct conversion of a biological event to an electronic signal. Over the past decades several sensing concepts and related devices have been developed. In this review, the most common traditional techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, chronopotentiometry, impedance spectroscopy, and various field-effect transistor based methods are presented along with selected promising novel approaches, such as nanowire or magnetic nanoparticle-based biosensing. Additional measurement techniques, which have been shown useful in combination with electrochemical detection, are also summarized, such as the electrochemical versions of surface plasmon resonance, optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy, ellipsometry, quartz crystal microbalance, and scanning probe microscopy. The signal transduction and the general performance of electrochemical sensors are often determined by the surface architectures that connect the sensing element to the biological sample at the nanometer scale. The most common surface modification techniques, the various electrochemical transduction mechanisms, and the choice of the recognition receptor molecules all influence the ultimate sensitivity of the sensor. New nanotechnology-based approaches, such as the use of engineered ion-channels in lipid bilayers, the encapsulation of enzymes into vesicles, polymersomes, or polyelectrolyte capsules provide additional possibilities for signal amplification. In particular, this review highlights the importance of the precise control over the delicate interplay between surface nano-architectures, surface functionalization and the chosen sensor transducer principle, as well as the usefulness of complementary characterization tools to interpret and to optimize the sensor response.

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  • Initial drift in the glucose and lactate sensor responses, caused by Faraday and capacitive currents, settled within one minute of recording.

    “Owing to Faraday and capacitive currents38, the responses of both sensors showed drift initially but stabilized within 1 min of the data recording.”

    From Fully integrated wearable sensor arrays for multiplexed in situ perspiration analysis (2016) · cites this paper as [38]

    The Electrochemical Detection Techniques section (page unavailable) describes time-dependent current in chronoamperometry, but attributes current changes to the diffusion layer. Searches for Faradaic and capacitive currents, sensor drift, and one-minute stabilization found no passage connecting those currents to initial drift in glucose and lactate sensor responses. (LLM, conf=0.73)

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Authors
Grieshaber, D., MacKenzie, R., Vörös, J., & Reimhult, E.
Affiliations
  • ETH Zurich (CH)
  • Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Gloriastrasse 35, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Corresponding author
Reimhult, Erik
Venue
Sensors
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2008-03-07
Volume
8
Issue
3
Pages
1400-1458
ISSN
1424-8220 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2057104805
Cited by
2,329
References
299
Citations by year
2026: 156 · 2025: 196 · 2024: 239 · 2023: 241 · 2022: 199 · 2021: 179 · 2020: 172 · 2019: 155 · 2018: 148 · 2017: 123 · 2016: 95 · 2015: 99 · 2014: 92 · 2013: 69 · 2012: 55
FWCI
2.96
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Sensors (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Repository for Publications and Research Data (ETH Zurich) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • ETH Zürich Research Collection
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Electrochemical sensors and biosensors
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques
  • Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Electrochemistry › Electrochemical Analysis and Applications
Keywords
electrochemical biosensor, cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, chronopotentiometry, impedance spectroscopy, field-effect transistor biosensors, nanowire biosensors, surface plasmon resonance, optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy, quartz crystal microbalance, scanning probe microscopy, surface functionalization, polymersomes, polyelectrolyte capsules, signal transduction, sensor sensitivity

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