Functional polymers in photoelectrochemical biosensing

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) analysis is a detection technique that has gained a wide attention in sensing applications. PEC presents the advantages of high sensitivity, low background signal, simple equipment and easy miniaturization. In PEC detection, light is used as an excitation source while current or voltage is measured as the output detection signal. The ability to couple the PEC process with specific bioreceptors gives PEC biosensing a unique advantage of being both selective and sensitive. The growing interest in PEC bioanalysis has resulted in essential progress in its analytical performance and biodetection applications. Functional polymers have different applications in the development of novel PEC biosensing platforms. Recently, the interest in polymer-based photoactive materials has emerged as they are efficient and less toxic alternatives to certain kinds of inorganic semiconductors and sensitizers. Moreover, molecularly imprinted polymers are a class of synthetic bioreceptors that are increasingly used in PEC bioanalytics. In this review, we will provide an overview on functional polymer-based PEC biosensing approaches. Novel classes of polymers as photoactive materials are reviewed and selected applications are described. Furthermore, molecularly imprinted polymers in the development of smart and sensitive PEC bioanalytical strategies are discussed.