An electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of carcinoembryonic antigen based on Au/g-C₃N₄ NSs-modified electrode and CuCo/CNC as signal tag

Carcinoembryonic antigen levels in the human body reflect the conditions associated with a variety of tumors and can be used for the identification, development, monitoring, and prognosis of lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer. In this study, an amperometric immunosensor with CuCo/carbon nanocubes (CuCo/CNC) as the signal label is constructed. The bimetal-doped carbon skeleton structure has a high specific surface area and exhibits good electrocatalytic activity. In addition, Au/g-C₃N₄ nanosheets (Au/g-C₃N₄ NSs) are used to modify the substrate platform, facilitating the loading of more capture antibodies. The reaction mechanism was explored through electrochemical methods, X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and other methods. Kinetic studies have shown that CuCo/CNC have good peroxidase-like activity. In addition, the electrocatalytic reduction ability of CuCo/CNC on hydrogen peroxide can be monitored using amperometric i–t curve (− 0.2 V, vs. SCE), and the response current value is positively correlated with the CEA antigen concentration. The prepared electrochemical immunosensor has good selectivity, precision, and stability. The dynamic range of the sensor was 0.0001–80 ng/mL, and the detection limit was 0.031 pg/mL. In addition, the recovery and relative standard deviation in real serum samples were 97.7–103 % and 3.25–4.13 %, respectively. The results show that the sensor has good analytical capabilities and can provide a new method for the clinical monitoring of CEA. Graphic abstract: