Development of Electrochemical Nanosensor for the Detection of Malaria Parasite in Clinical Samples

In this study, Electrochemical nanosensors were developed from the synthesised metal oxide (MO) nanoparticles by supporting it on a gold electrode (Au). The activity of the developed nanosensor towards the detection of malaria biomarker (β-hematin) was determined and the optimum conditions at which the maximum detection and quantification occurred was established. β-Hematin current response at the sensors was higher compared with the bare Au electrode and followed the order Au-CuO (C) > Au-CuO (M) > Au-Fe₂O₃ (M) > Au-Fe₂O₃ (C) > Au-Al₂O₃ (M) > Au-Al₂O₃ (C) > bare Au. The developed sensors were stable with a relatively low current drop (10.61 - 17.35 %) in the analyte. Au-CuO sensor has the best performance towards the biomarker and quantitatively detected P. berghei in infected mice’s serum samples at 3.60 – 4.8 mM and P. falciparum in human blood serum samples at 0.65 – 1.35 mM concentration.