Electrochemical microfluidic immunosensor with graphene-decorated gold nanoporous for T-2 mycotoxin detection.

T-2 is one of the most potent cytotoxic food-borne mycotoxins. In this work, we have developed and characterized an electrochemical microfluidic immunosensor for T-2 toxin quantification in wheat germ samples. T-2 toxin detection was carried out using a competitive immunoassay method based on monoclonal anti-T-2 antibodies immobilized on the poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microfluidic central channel. The platinum wire working electrode at the end of the channel was in situ modified by a single-step electrodeposition procedure with reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-nanoporous gold (NPG). T-2 toxin in the sample was allowed to compete with T-2-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated for the specific recognizing sites of immobilized anti-T-2 monoclonal antibodies. The HRP, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), catalyzes the oxidation of 4-tert-butylcatechol (4-TBC), whose back electrochemical reduction was detected on the nanostructured electrode at -0.15 V. Thus, at low T-2 concentrations in the sample, more enzymatically conjugated T-2 will bind to the capture antibodies, and, therefore, a higher current is expected. The detection limits found for electrochemical immunosensor, and commercial ELISA procedure were 0.10 µg kg-1 and 10 µg kg-1, and the intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were below 5.35% and 6.87%, respectively. Finally, our microfluidic immunosensor to T-2 toxin will significantly contribute to faster, direct, and secure in situ analysis in agricultural samples.

Microfluidic Platform Integrated with Carbon Nanofibers-Decorated Gold Nanoporous Sensing Device for Serum PSA Quantification.

Prostate cancer is a disease with a high incidence and mortality rate in men worldwide. Serum prostate-specific antigens (PSA) are the main circulating biomarker for this disease in clinical practices. In this work, we present a portable and reusable microfluidic device for PSA quantification. This device comprises a polymethyl methacrylate microfluidic platform coupled with electrochemical detection. The platinum working microelectrode was positioned in the outflow region of the microchannel and was modified with carbon nanofibers (CNF)-decorated gold nanoporous (GNP) structures by the dynamic hydrogen bubble template method, through the simultaneous electrodeposition of metal precursors in the presence of CNF. CNF/GNP structures exhibit attractive properties, such as a large surface to volume ratio, which increases the antibody's immobilization capacity and the electroactive area. CNFs/GNP structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, and cyclic voltammetry. Anti-PSA antibodies and HRP were employed for the immune-electrochemical reaction. The detection limit for the device was 5 pg mL-1, with a linear range from 0.01 to 50 ng mL-1. The coefficients of variation within and between assays were lower than 4.40%, and 6.15%, respectively. Additionally, its clinical performance was tested in serum from 30 prostate cancer patients. This novel device was a sensitive, selective, portable, and reusable tool for the serological diagnosis and monitoring of prostate cancer.

Paper surface modification strategies employing N-SBA-15/polymer composites in bioanalytical sensor design.

In this work, different paper surface modification strategies were compared to obtain an amine functionalized SBA-15 (N-SBA-15) composite for paper-based device development. The synthesized N-SBA-15 was characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm, and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and it was incorporated to different polymer matrices (κ-carrageenan (CA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyethylenimine (PEI)) for the development of the composite modified paper-based device. The retention, interactions, and morphology of the obtained composites were investigated by absorbance measurement, FTIR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. To demonstrate the applicability of the modified paper-based device, ascorbic acid (AA) quantification was carried out. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was immobilized onto the modified paper surface. HRP in the presence of H2O2 catalyzes the oxidation of 10-acetyl-3,7-dyhidroxyphenoxazine (ADHP) to highly fluorescent resorufin, which was measured by LIF detector. Thus, when AA was added to the solution, it decreases the relative fluorescence signal proportionally to the AA concentration. The linear range from 50 nmol L-1 to 1500 nmol L-1 and a detection limit of 15 nmol L-1 were obtained for AA quantitation. The obtained results allowed us to conclude that N-SBA-15/PEI composite could be considered an excellent choice for the paper-based device modification procedure due to its inherent simplicity, low cost, and sensitivity.

Novel electrochemical sensing platform based on a nanocomposite of PVA/PVP/RGO applied to IgG anti- Toxoplasma gondii antibodies quantitation.

This article describes the development of a new electrochemical platform composed by a polymer mixture and graphene oxide (GO). The working electrode of a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was modified with nanocomposite constituted by poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA), poly-vinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and GO, which was electrochemically reduced to obtain PVA/PVP/RGO/SPCE. The interactions and morphology of the PVA/PVP/GO nanocomposite were investigated by SEM, FTIR and UV-Vis. SEM images indicated an excellent dispersion of the GO sheets in the polymer matrix. Besides, FTIR and visible UV studies revealed strong interactions between polymer mixture and GO sheets. According to electrochemical studies, the new platform increased the electroactive surface area by a factor of 20.46 compared to the unmodified SPCE. Also, the PVA/PVP/RGO/SPCE had a fast electron kinetics transfer process with a value of ks = 9.6 s-1. The modified electrode was applied to the determination of IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies for the serological diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. The IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies quantification showed a detection limit of 0.012 U mL-1, and the coefficients of variation intra-day and inter-day assays were lower than 4.5% and 6.2%, respectively. The electrochemical platform proved to be a sensitive and easily applicable tool applied to the serological diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. Therefore, the developed nanocomposite represents an excellent alternative for the electrochemical biosensor fabrication.

Serological diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis disease using a fluorescent immunosensor with chitosan-ZnO-nanoparticles.

This article describes a microfluidic LIF immunosensor for the quantitative determination of anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG (anti-T. gondii) specific antibodies. The serological detection of these antibodies plays a crucial role in the clinical diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) obtained by wet chemical procedure were covered with chitosan and then used to conjugate T-gondii antigens into the central microfluidic channel. Serum samples containing anti-T-gondii IgG antibodies were injected into the immunosensor where they interact immunologically with T. gondii antigens. Bound antibodies were quantified by the addition of anti-IgG antibodies labeled whit alkaline phosphatase (ALP). ALP enzymatically converts the non-fluorescent 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate (4-MUP) to soluble fluorescent methylumbelliferone that was measured using excitation at 355 nm and emission at 440 nm. The relative fluorescent response of methylumbelliferone is proportional to the concentration of anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies. The coefficients of variation are less than 4.73% for within-day assays and less than 6.34% for between-day assays. Results acquired by LIF immunosensor agree with those obtained by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method, suggesting that the designed sensor represents a promising tool for the quantitative determination of anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies of clinical samples.

Paper-based enzymatic platform coupled to screen printed graphene-modified electrode for the fast neonatal screening of phenylketonuria.

INTRODUCTION: The PKU is an inborn error of amino acid metabolism, in which phenylalanine (Phe) accumulated in the blood causing alterations at the central nervous system. We report a novel paper-based enzymatic platform coupled to screen printed graphene-modified electrode for the neonatal screening of phenylketonuria (PKU0. METHODS: The paper-based analytical device coupled to electrochemical detection (EPAD) is based on the use of paper microzones modified with phenylalanine dehydrogenase enzyme (PheDH). The modified PADs were placed on the surface of an electrode modified with electrochemically reduced graphene (ERGO). PheDH in the presence of NAD+ catalyzes the reversible deamination of Phe to form phenylpyruvate, ammonia, and NADH. The electrochemical oxidation of NADH was monitored by differential pulse amperometry (DPA) at 0.6 V. The method was linear in the concentration range from 1 to 600 µmol/L of Phe with a LOQ of 1 µmol/L and LOD of 0.2 µmol/L. Within day precision was 5.7% across 3 levels of control samples. Between-day precision was 8.3%. The comparison with the standard Phe enzyme assay kit showed good agreement. The time required for the overall assay was <5 min. The non-sophisticated equipment required, the short assay time and the appropriate LOQ and LOD achieved by our EPAD make it an attractive and easy to use alternative compared to existing methods applied to the screening of PKU in neonatal samples.

Food safety control of zeranol through voltammetric immunosensing on Au-Pt bimetallic nanoparticle surfaces.

This study reports an accurate and sensitive strategy for zeranol (ZER) determination in bovine urine samples. ZER is a mycotoxin widely used as a synthetic growth promoter in the livestock production whose residues could present a potential risk for human health. Therefore, its use as an animal feed additive has been banned in most countries. ZER determination was accomplished using an electrochemical system in which bimetallic Au-Pt nanoparticles (Au-PtNPs) were electro-synthesized on a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE). The obtained Au-PtNP platform was immunofunctionalized using specific anti-ZER antibodies as a strategy to avoid potential interference. After biorecognition, ZER was directly oxidized and detected by square-wave voltammetry (SWV). The Au-PtNP surface was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The limit of detection calculated was 0.01 ng mL(-1) with a wide linear range from 0.03 to 30 ng mL(-1). This method promises to be suitable for ZER quantification in bovine urine samples ensuring food quality and safety, as well as consumer's health.

Silica nanoparticle-based microfluidic immunosensor with laser-induced fluorescence detection for the quantification of immunoreactive trypsin.

The purpose of this study was to develop a silica nanoparticle-based immunosensor with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) as a detection system. The proposed device was applied to quantify the immunoreactive trypsin (IRT) in cystic fibrosis (CF) newborn screening. A new ultrasonic procedure was used to extract the IRT from blood spot samples collected on filter papers. After extraction, the IRT reacted immunologically with anti-IRT monoclonal antibodies immobilized on a microfluidic glass chip modified with 3-aminopropyl functionalized silica nanoparticles (APSN-APTES-modified glass chips). The bounded IRT was quantified by horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated anti-IRT antibody (anti-IRT-Ab) using 10-acetyl-3,7-dihydroxyphenoxazine (ADHP) as enzymatic mediator. The HRP catalyzed the oxidation of nonfluorescent ADHP to highly fluorescent resorufin, which was measured by LIF detector, using excitation lambda at 561nm and emission at 585nm. The detection limits (LODs) calculated for LIF detection and for a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kit were 0.87 and 4.2ngml(-1), respectively. The within- and between-assay variation coefficients for the LIF detection procedure were below 6.5%. The blood spot samples collected on filter papers were analyzed with the proposed method, and the results were compared with those of the reference ELISA method, demonstrating a potential usefulness for the clinical assessment of IRT during the early neonatal period.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles based microfluidic immunosensor applied in congenital hypothyroidism screening.

In this article, we present an innovative approach for congenital hypothyroidism (CHT) screening. This pathology is the most common preventable cause of mental retardation, affecting newborns around the world. Its consequences could be avoided with an early diagnosis through the thyrotropin (TSH) level measurement. To accomplish the determination of TSH, synthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanobeads (NBs) covered by chitosan (CH), ZnO-CH NBs, were covalently attached to the central channel of the designed microfluidic device. These beads were employed as platform for anti-TSH monoclonal antibody immobilization to specifically recognize and capture TSH in neonatal samples without any special pretreatment. Afterwards, the amount of this trapped hormone was quantified by horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated anti-TSH antibody. HRP reacted with its enzymatic substrate in a redox process, which resulted in the appearance of a current whose magnitude was directly proportional to the level of TSH in the neonatal sample. The structure and morphology of synthesized ZnO-CH NBs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The calculated detection limits for electrochemical detection and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay procedure were 0.00087 µUI mL(-1) and 0.015 µUI mL(-1), respectively, and the within- and between-assay coefficients of variation were below 6.31% for the proposed method. According to the cut-off value for TSH neonatal screening, a reasonably good limit of detection was achieved. These above-mentioned features make the system advantageous for routine clinical analysis adaptation.

Electrochemical detection of a powerful estrogenic endocrine disruptor: ethinylestradiol in water samples through bioseparation procedure.

The synthetic estrogen ethinylestradiol (EE2) is an active component of oral contraceptives (OCs), considered as an endocrine disrupting compound (EDC). It is excreted from humans and released via sewage treatment plant effluents into aquatic environments. EDCs are any environmental pollutant chemical that, once incorporated into an organism, affects the hormonal balance of various species including humans. Its presence in the environment is becoming of great importance in water quality. This paper describes the development of an accurate, sensitive and selective method for capture, preconcentration and determination of EE2 present in water samples using: magnetic particles (MPs) as bioaffinity support for the capture and preconcentration of EE2 and a glassy carbon electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs/GCE) as detection system. The capture procedure was based on the principle of immunoaffinity, the EE2 being extracted from the sample using the anti-EE2 antibodies (anti-EE2 Ab) which were previously immobilized on MPs. Subsequently the analyte desorption was done employing a sulfuric acid solution and the determination of the EE2 in the pre-concentrated solution was carried out by square wave voltammetry (SWV). This method can be used to determine EE2 in the range of 0.035-70 ng L(-1) with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.01 ng L(-1) and R.S.D.<4.20%. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of EE2 in water samples and it has promising analytical applications for the direct determination of EE2 at trace levels.

Development of an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay applied to the Botrytis cinerea quantification in tissues of postharvest fruits.

BACKGROUND: Botrytis cinerea is a phytopathogenic fungus responsible for the disease known as gray mold, which causes substantial losses of fruits at postharvest. This fungus is present often as latent infection and an apparently healthy fruit can deteriorate suddenly due to the development of this infection. For this reason, rapid and sensitive methods are necessary for its detection and quantification. This article describes the development of an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for quantification of B. cinerea in apple (Red Delicious), table grape (pink Moscatel), and pear (William's) tissues. RESULTS: The method was based in the competition for the binding site of monoclonal antibodies between B. cinerea antigens present in fruit tissues and B. cinerea purified antigens immobilized by a crosslinking agent onto the surface of the microtiter plates. The method was validated considering parameters such as selectivity, linearity, precision, accuracy and sensibility. The calculated detection limit was 0.97 µg mL-1 B. cinerea antigens. The immobilized antigen was perfectly stable for at least 4 months assuring the reproducibility of the assay. The fungus was detected and quantified in any of the fruits tested when the rot was not visible yet. Results were compared with a DNA quantification method and these studies showed good correlation. CONCLUSIONS: The developed method allowed detects the presence of B. cinerea in asymptomatic fruits and provides the advantages of low cost, easy operation, and short analysis time determination for its possible application in the phytosanitary programs of the fruit industry worldwide.

A microfluidic device based on a screen-printed carbon electrode with electrodeposited gold nanoparticles for the detection of IgG anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies.

In this article we report the development of an integrated microfluidic system coupled to a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) applied to the quantitative determination of IgG specific antibodies present in serum samples of patients that suffer from Chagas disease. This relevant parasitic infection caused by the hemoflagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi represents a major public health concern in Latin America. In order to perform the detection of mentioned antibodies, SPCE coupled to a microfluidic device was modified by electrodeposition of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and functionalized with Trypanosoma cruzi proteins from epimastigote membranes. The developed microfluidic immunosensor with immobilized T. cruzi proteins on the SPCE surface was successfully applied in the detection of specific IgG anti-T. cruzi antibodies, which were allowed to react immunologically with immobilized T. cruzi antigen. After that, labelled antibodies were quantified through the addition of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme-labeled secondary antibodies specific to human IgG, using 4-tert-butylcatechol (4-TBC) as enzymatic mediator. HRP in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) catalyzes the oxidation of 4-TBC whose back electrochemical reduction was detected on a modified electrode at -100 mV. The calculated detection limit for electrochemical detection was 3.065 ng mL(-1) and the intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were below 6.95%.

Microfluidic immunosensor with gold nanoparticle platform for the determination of immunoglobulin G anti-Echinococcus granulosus antibodies.

This article describes a microfluidic immunosensor, developed for the detection of IgG antibodies specific to Echinococcus granulosus in human serum samples, which represents an alternative tool that can be used for the immunodiagnosis of hydatidosis in an automated way. Our device consists of a Plexiglas system with a central channel and a gold electrode. For immobilization of the E. granulosus antigen, a gold electrode was modified with the incorporation of gold nanoparticles. Immobilized antigen was allowed to react with IgG-anti-E. granulosus antibodies in samples, and these were quantified by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme-labeled secondary antibodies specific to human IgG using catechol (Q) as enzymatic mediator. HRP in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) catalyzes the oxidation of Q to o-benzoquinone (P). The electrochemical reduction back to Q was detected on the gold electrode (AuE) at -0.15 V. The current obtained was proportional to the activity of the enzyme and to the concentration of antibodies of interest. The detection limit for electrochemical detection was 0.091 ng ml(-1), and the within- and between-assay coefficients of variation were below 6.7%. The proposed system presents many benefits, the more relevant are: reduced complexity and costs that are considered as the most wanted features for the clinical-immunodiagnostic field.

IgG anti-gliadin determination with an immunological microfluidic system applied to the automated diagnostic of the celiac disease.

In the present article, a novel microfluidic immunosensor coupled with electrochemical detection for anti-gliadin IgG antibody quantification is proposed. This device represents an important tool for a fast, simple, sensitive, and automated diagnostic for celiac disease, which is carried out through detection of anti-gliadin IgG antibodies present in human serum samples. Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease generated by gluten protein fractions called prolamins. This pathology affects about one in 250 people around the world, produces intestinal inflammation, villous atrophy, and crypt hyperplasia, which causes a range of symptoms including altered bowel habits, malnutrition and weight loss. Our immunosensor consists of a Plexiglas device coupled to a gold electrode, with a central channel containing 3-aminopropyl-modified controlled pore glass (AP-CPG). The quantification of anti-gliadin IgG antibodies was carried out using a heterogeneous, non-competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in which IgG antibodies bound to gliadin protein, immobilized on AP-CPG, were determined by alkaline phosphatase (AP) enzyme-labeled second antibodies specific to human IgG. The p-aminophenyl phosphate (p-APP) was converted to p-aminophenol (p-AP) by AP, and the electroactive product was quantified on a gold electrode at 0.250 V. The calculated detection limits for electrochemical detection and the ELISA procedure were 0.52 and 2.72 UR mL(-1), respectively, and the within- and between-assay coefficients of variation were below 5.8%. The optimized procedure was applied to the determination of anti-gliadin IgG antibodies in human serum samples.

Integrated microfluidic magnetic immunosensor for quantification of human serum IgG antibodies to Helicobacter pylori.

In this paper, we have developed and characterized a microfluidic magnetic immunosensor coupled to a gold electrode for the rapid and sensitive quantification of human serum IgG antibodies to Helicobacter pylori. This microorganism cause peptic ulcers and chronic gastritis, affecting around the 10% of the world population. The sensor was completely automated and the antibodies detection in serum samples was carried out using a non-competitive immunoassay based on the use of purified H. pylori antigens that are immobilized on magnetic microspheres 3-aminopropyl-modified. The magnetic microbeads were injected into microchannel devices and manipulated for an external removable magnet. The IgG antibodies in human serum sample are allowed to react immunologically with the immobilized antigens, and the bounded antibodies are quantified by alkaline phosphatase (AP) enzyme-labeled second antibodies specific to human IgG. The p-aminophenyl phosphate (p-APP) was converted to p-aminophenol (p-AP) by AP and an electroactive product was detected on gold layer electrode at 0.250V. The response current obtained from the product of enzymatic reaction is directly proportional to the activity of the enzyme and, consequently, to the amount of IgG antibodies to H. pylori in serum samples. The electrochemical detection can be done within 1min and total assay time was 25min. The calculated detection limits for electrochemical detection and the ELISA procedure were 0.37 and 2.1UmL(-1), respectively, and the within- and between-assay coefficients of variation were below 5%. Our results indicate the potential usefulness of our fabricated microbiochip for the early assessment of human serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to H. pylori.