A Highly Sensitive Electrochemiluminescence Spermine Biosensor Based on Au−Ag Bimetallic Nanoclusters

In this study, we found that spermine (SPM) could enhance electrochemiluminescence (ECL) intensity of Au−Ag bimetallic nanoclusters (Au−Ag BNCs) with triethylamine (TEA) as a co-reactant. An ECL sensor was fabricated to detect SPM, which contained Au−Ag BNCs as ECL emitters and conductive hydrogel containing polyaniline-amino trimethylene phosphonic acid (PANI-ATMP) as an immobilizing matrix. The increased ECL intensity of SPM was linear with the logarithm of concentrations of SPM in the range of 1 pM to 10 μM with high selectivity, excellent stability, and the limit of detection is 0.11 pM (S/N=3). This sensor realized the detection of SPM in urine samples, which was fast and economic, possessing potential applications for SPM detection in clinical and bioanalysis.