Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Based Optical Nano/Biosensors for Biomedical Applications: Role in Bioimaging, Disease Diagnosis, and Biomarkers Detection

The convergence of advanced nanotechnology with disease diagnosis has ushered in a transformative era in healthcare, empowering early and accurate detection of diseases and paving the way for timely interventions, improved treatment outcomes, and enhanced patient well-being. The development of novel materials is frequently the impetus behind significant advancements in sensor technology. Among them, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTSs) have emerged as promising nanomaterials for developing biosensors. Their unique optical, electrical, and biocompatibility properties make them promising candidates for enhancing the sensitivity and real-time monitoring capabilities of biosensors, as well as for enabling various bioimaging techniques. Recent studies have demonstrated the utility of SWCNTS-based biosensors in the real-time monitoring of biological analytes, such as nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), with potential implications for disease understanding and therapeutic response assessment. Moreover, SWCNTSs have shown promise in bioimaging applications, including fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence imaging of biological samples. This article delves into the core principles, design strategies, and operational mechanisms that underpin SWCNTS-bioimaging techniques-based biosensors. It emphasizes on their unique properties and versatile functionalization of carbon nanotubes, laying the foundation for their integration into biosensor platforms and applications aimed at diagnosing a wide spectrum of diseases including infectious diseases, cancer, neurological disorders, and metabolic conditions. This study explores SWCNTs' potential in biomedical optical biosensors, including their characteristics, interactions with fluorophores, and ideas for surface modification to enhance biomolecule selectivity and sensitivity. Optical sensing adaptability and advantages are addressed. The diagnostic potential of SWCNT biosensors for cancer, hyperglycemia, viral illness, and neurological diseases is showcased. Before discussing future Perspective remarks, challenges are explored. image