An ultrasensitive electrochemical sensor based on facile one-step NCQDs-MWCNT nanocomposite deposition for chemotherapeutic drug paclitaxel biosensing in serum

Sensitive and rapid quantification of chemotherapeutic drug paclitaxel (PTX) in human serum is crucial for enabling personalized dosing and minimizing severe toxicity. In this approach, an ultrasensitive electrochemical sensor was developed via facile one-step deposition method for rapid determination of PTX. The nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (NCQDs-MWCNT) nanocomposite, which modified on the screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE), synergistically enhanced the active surface area, boosted the electrical conductivity and improved the detection sensitivity. Under the optimized conditions, the prepared NCQDs-MWCNT/SPCE exhibited good linearity in both 0.2 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and human serum, and the limit of detection (LOD) reached as low as 1.0 nM and 2.3 nM, respectively. Additionally, the developed sensor possessed satisfactory repeatability, long-term storage property and anti-interference capability. The recovery rates were in the range of 107.73–114.05 % in human serum, indicating its accuracy of PTX measurement. In depth, the electrochemical behaviors of PTX at NCQDs-MWCNT/SPCE were examined. Collectively, the proposed ultrasensitive and facile sensor displays potential applications in therapeutic drug monitoring for PTX, facilitating individualized treatment in precision medicine.