Electrochemical monitoring of indicator-free DNA hybridization by carbon nanotubes–chitosan modified disposable graphite sensors

Single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT)-chitosan (CHIT) modified pencil graphite electrodes (PGEs) were developed for monitoring of DNA hybridization. SWCNT-chitosan modified PGE (CNT–CHIT–PGE), Chitosan modified PGE (CHIT–PGE) and unmodified PGE (bare-PGE) were firstly characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and their electrochemical behaviors were investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The concentrations of CHIT, carbon nanotube (CNT) and also amino linked DNA probe etc. were respectively optimized in order to obtain the better working conditions of CNT–CHIT modified PGE in DNA analysis. The sequence selective DNA hybridization related to Hepatitis B virus (HBV) was then explored in the case of hybridization between amino linked HBV probe and its complementary (target), or noncomplementary (NC), or mismatch (MM) sequences, and also hybridization in mixture sample.