Highly Sensitive Electrochemiluminescent Nanobiosensor for the Detection of Palytoxin

Abstract

Marine toxins appear to be increasing in many areas of the world. An emerging problem in the Mediterranean Sea is represented by palytoxin (PlTX), one of the most potent marine toxins, frequently detected in seafood. Due to the high potential for human toxicity of PlTX, there is a strong and urgent need for sensitive methods toward its detection and quantification. We have developed an ultrasensitive electrochemiluminescence-based sensor for the detection of PlTX, taking advantage of the specificity provided by anti-PlTX antibodies, the good conductive properties of carbon nanotubes, and the excellent sensitivity achieved by a luminescence-based transducer. The sensor was able to produce a concentration-dependent light signal, allowing PlTX quantification in mussels, with a limit of quantification (LOQ = 2.2 μg/kg of mussel meat) more than 2 orders of magnitude more sensitive than that of the commonly used detection techniques, such as LC-MS/MS.

Theory and Simulation for Optimising Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence from Tris(2,2′‐bipyridine)‐ruthenium(II)‐Doped Silica Nanoparticles and Tripropylamine

“…Outside the nanoparticle, TPrA, TPrA * + and TPrA * concentrations were determined according to the ECEC mechanism in Scheme 1 for a fully buffered pH of 7.4 (i. e. Eq. (3) being irreversible with k dep ¼ 3:5 Â 10 3 s À1 ) while taking into account diffusion in the solution and the diffusional perturbation created by the nanoparticle without any approximation made, i. e. none of the equations (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19) were used. The bulk TPrA concentration was 30 mM and its protonation equilibrium was set at 10 3 .…”

“…[10] This is particularly important to avoid undesired background emissions from biological analytes. [11][12][13] Secondly, the excitation system (electrode potential) is decoupled from the detection signal (light) and any potentially transferred electrical noise is filtered by diffusion of the organic reactant intermediate. This leads to very low levels of electrical perturbation of the ECL light intensity that is used as the analytical signal.…”

A roadmap for hazard monitoring and risk assessment of marine biotoxins on the basis of chemical and biological test systems

“…A novel sandwich elISA for detection of Pltx was introduced and also evaluated, providing a lOQ of 11 ng Pltx/ml mussel extract, 9.6 ng Pltx/ml algae sample and 2.4 ng Pltx/ml for seawater samples (Boscolo et al, 2013). Via introduction of an electrochemiluminescence-based sensor a lOQ of 2.2 µg Pltx kg of shellfish tissue was achieved, which is in the area -if not lower -than the lOQ of some of the lC-MS/MS approaches (Zamolo et al, 2012). Recently also a novel surface plasmon resonance immunoassay was introduced with an instrumental limit of detection for Pltx in sub-ng/ml sample range (Yakes et al, 2011).…”

Recent Biosensors for Food Analysis in Brazil and Italy

“…The presented biosensor is robust, cost-effective, and simple to use, avoiding the pitfalls of traditional screening methods by directly specifying the identity of the toxic substance. Zamolo et al (2012) developed an ultrasensitive electrochemiluminescencebased sensor for the detection of palitoxin (PlTX), one of the most potent marine toxins, frequently detected in seafood, taking advantage of the specificity provided by anti-PlTX antibodies, the good conductive properties of carbon nanotubes, and the excellent sensitivity achieved by a luminescence-based transducer. The sensor was able to produce a concentration-dependent light signal, allowing PlTX quantification in mussels, with a limit of detection of 2.2 μg/kg of mussel meat), more than two orders of magnitude more sensitive than that of the commonly used detection techniques, such as LC-MS/MS.…”