Selective electrochemical sensing of hemoglobin from blood of β-thalassemia major patients by tellurium nanowires-graphene oxide modified electrode

Abstract Hemoglobin is an important part of the biological system that is involved in the transportation of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Abnormal level of hemoglobin is associated with different diseases such as β-thalassemia and anemia. An electrochemical sensor based on graphene oxide-tellurium nanowires (TeNWs/GO) is developed for the first time for electrochemical sensing of hemoglobin (Hb). Sensing parameters such as concentration, pH, scan rate, and effect of interferences are optimized. Linearity, detection, and quantification limits for TeNWs/GO-GCE are 0.996, 0.29 μM, and 0.967 μM respectively. Stability is measured by cyclic voltammetry (100 cycles) and chronoamperometry (15 h). TeNWs/GO-GCE quantitatively determines hemoglobin from blood samples of β-thalassemia major patients. To evaluate the relationship between RBC’s count and hemoglobin β-thalassemia major patients with the level of HbA, HbA2, and HbF statistical analysis is carried out. Shapiro-Wilk analysis shows a non-normal distribution and the results are calculated by Spearman correlation analysis. The results show that thalassemia patients have low levels of hemoglobin due to mutations in globin chains of hemoglobin.