Development of a field deployable handheld electrochemical biosensor for detection of aflatoxin B1 in grains
Paper Details
Development of a field deployable handheld electrochemical biosensor for detection of aflatoxin B1 in grains
Abstract
Aflatoxins (AFs) are highly toxic, with Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) being the most harmful, necessitating quick on-site detection to ensure food safety. This study introduces a portable electrochemical biosensor for detecting AFB1 in grains. The biosensor uses a screen-printed electrode (SPE) pretreated in sulfuric acid and modified with bovine serum albumin (BSA) to attach antibodies to the BSA-terminal carboxylic groups, preventing nonspecific AFB1 binding. Modified SPEs were rinsed and stored at 4°C. AFB1 detection was performed using Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) with a wireless portable potentiostat. Absence or low concentrations of AFB1 resulted in a significant increase in DPV peak current, indicating reduced binding of AFB1 to the SPE. Conversely, the presence of AFB1 decreased the DPV peak current, signifying binding of AFB1 to the anti-AFB1 antibodies on the SPE. The signal was transmitted to a cellphone via Bluetooth. The biosensor exhibited a low limit of blank sample (LoB) at 1.67 ng/mL, a low Limit of Detection (LoD) at 2.058 ng/mL, and a dynamic range of 1-20 ng/mL. It was successfully tested on real samples, detecting AFB1 in peanuts and maize flour, indicating its potential for on-site mycotoxin monitoring in food.
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