Globally,
the need for “on-site” algal-toxin monitoring
has become increasingly urgent due to the amplified demand for fresh-water
and for safe, “toxin-free” shellfish and fish stocks.
Herein, we describe the first reported, Lab-On-A-Disc (LOAD) based-platform
developed to detect microcystin levels in situ, with initial detectability
of saxitoxin and domoic acid also reported. Using recombinant antibody
technology, the LOAD platform combines immunofluorescence with centrifugally
driven microfluidic liquid handling to achieve a next-generation disposable
device capable of multianalyte sampling. A low-complexity “LED-photodiode”
based optical sensing system was tailor-made for the platform, which
allows the fluorescence signal of the toxin-specific reaction to be
quantified. This system can rapidly and accurately detect the presence
of microcystin-LR, domoic acid, and saxitoxin in 30 min, with a minimum
of less than 5 min end-user interaction for maximum reproducibility.
This method provides a robust “point of need” diagnostic
alternative to the current laborious and costly methods used for qualitative
toxin monitoring.
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