Non-invasive detection of salivary TNF-α enabled by hemp-derived nanocellulose nanocomposite electrochemical immunosensor for point-of-care diagnostics
Abstract
This work describes a label-free electrochemical immunosensor for the non-invasive detection of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in human saliva. The sensing platform utilizes a hierarchical nanocomposite comprising hemp-derived nanocellulose (HNC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), PEDOT:PSS, and electrodeposited gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The porous 3D HNC network provides a biocompatible scaffold for efficient antibody immobilization, while the integrated conductive matrix significantly accelerates electron transfer kinetics. Under optimized conditions, the immunosensor exhibits a linear range of 5–300 pg mL−1 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 3.91 pg mL−1 and excellent selectivity against common interferents. Validation with clinical saliva samples demonstrated strong correlation with standard ELISA, confirming the platform’s potential for point-of-care inflammatory biomarker monitoring.