Sol-gel derived nano-structured zinc oxide film for sexually transmitted disease sensor.

A 20-mer thiolated oligonucleotide probe (th-ssDNA) specific to Neisseria gonorrhoeae immobilized onto a sol-gel derived nano-structured zinc oxide (ZnO) film dip-coated onto an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) glass substrate has been used for the fabrication of a DNA biosensor for sexually transmitted disease (gonorrhoea) detection using hybridization technique. The results of characterization studies carried out on this th-ssDNA-ZnO/ITO bioelectrode using X-ray diffraction, UV-Visible, Fourier-transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical techniques reveal the linearity as 0.000524 fmol-0.524 nmol, with a detection limit of 0.000704 fmol within 60 s.