A non-invasive dual-plex biosensor for simultaneous monitoring of salivary cortisol and α-amylase: a tool for training-load assessment
摘要
The increasing demand for objective training-load assessment has accelerated the development of biomarker-based monitoring strategies. Here, we present an original research study describing a non-invasive dual-plex electrochemical immunosensor for simultaneous quantification of salivary cortisol and α-amylase, integrating two key stress pathways: the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal and sympathetic-adreno-medullary axes. The sensor was constructed on a dual-channel screen-printed electrode modified with a ZIF-8/rGO/AuNPs hybrid nanocomposite, providing high conductivity and antibody immobilization capacity. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirmed the sequential fabrication steps, with the charge-transfer resistance decreasing from 550 Ω (bare electrode) to 180 Ω after nanocomposite modification and increasing to 2150 Ω upon analyte binding. Under optimized conditions (20 min incubation, pH 7.4), differential pulse voltammetry revealed a linear response for cortisol from 1.0 pg/mL to 100 ng/mL (R2 = 0.996, LOD = 0.35 pg/mL) and for α-amylase from 10 to 2000 U/mL (R2 = 0.992, LOD = 3.5 U/mL). Selectivity tests showed less than 5% interference from selected salivary components and no measurable cross-reactivity between channels. The device exhibited high reproducibility (RSD < 5%), repeatability (RSD < 4%), and stability (> 90% signal retention after 4 weeks). In spiked simulated saliva, recovery ranged from 96.8 to 104.2% for cortisol and 95.5% to 103.7% for α-amylase, with excellent agreement with commercial-assay kits (R2 > 0.98). Mixed-analyte simulated-saliva tests further supported dual-channel operation in a shared sample. These results demonstrate the sensor’s analytical sensitivity and robustness in a controlled saliva-like matrix and support its further development toward practical salivary stress-biomarker monitoring after validation in real human saliva.
Graphical abstract