An unlabeled electrochemical sensor for the simultaneous detection of homocysteine and uric acid based on molecularly imprinted recognition for prediction of cardiovascular disease risk

An unlabeled molecular imprinted electrochemical sensor was developed for simultaneous detection of homocysteine and uric acid, based on gold nanoparticles and molecularly imprinted polymer composites modified glass carbon electrode. Gold nanoparticles stably enhanced the electron transfer and improved the sensitivity by acting as a base for enhancing signal for molecularly imprinted polymers. Specific molecular imprinting cavities based on electropolymerization with dopamine were formed to specifically and simultaneously identify homocysteine and uric acid. Combining the good sensitivity of electrochemistry and the excellent selectivity of molecularly imprinted polymer, the difference in peak current position was used to achieve simultaneous detection of homocysteine and uric acid. For this reason, the developed sensor showed the wide detection range of 5.00 × 10⁻³-1.00 × 10³ μmol/L for homocysteine and 5.00 × 10⁻¹-5.00 × 10³ μmol/L for uric acid, with the LOD of 5.64 × 10⁻⁵ μmol/L and 0.128 μmol/L (S/N = 3). The developed sensor with easy preparation, great selectivity and short detection time could be used in simultaneous detection of homocysteine and uric acid in serum.