Electrochemical Immunoassays and Immunosensors: Detection Techniques, Potentiometric Immunosensors, Mechanical Biosensors and Recent Developments

The field of immunoassays and immunosensors represents a cornerstone in the advancement of modern diagnostics, enabling precise and sensitive detection of biomarkers essential for disease diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and biomedical research. This book serves as a comprehensive exploration of the principles, methodologies, and recent innovations shaping this domain. It begins with the fundamental concept of the antibody–antigen interaction, the biochemical foundation for immunoassays and immunosensors. These devices, rooted in the specificity of immune responses, are categorized into competitive and non-competitive systems, each tailored to unique analytical needs. Critical to their performance is the immobilization of antibodies, facilitated through methods such as biotin–(strept)avidin interaction and antibody-binding proteins, enhanced by conducting polymers and self-assembled monolayers. Electrochemical detection techniques underpin many immunosensor applications, encompassing potentiometry, amperometry, voltammetry, and impedimetry. Potentiometric and mechanical biosensors further diversify the landscape, offering novel avenues for detecting cancer, bacterial, and other disease biomarkers. The integration of microfluidics introduces remarkable sensitivity and throughput, leveraging materials like elastomers, glass, and thermoplastics. In exploring these topics, the book highlights recent developments, such as magnetic and capillary microfluidic systems, culminating in innovative strategies to enhance immunoassay sensitivity and performance. Together, these advances chart the path for next-generation diagnostic technologies.