Detection of Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics in Milk via a Labeless Immunoassay Based upon an Alternating Current Impedance Protocol

Bimetallic metal organic framework/Ni doped ZnO nanomaterials modified carbon paste electrode for selective electrochemical determination of ciprofloxacin

In this work, an efficient and sensitive electrochemical sensor for the determination of ciprofloxacin (CIP) is reported. The sensor was prepared by using a carbon paste electrode (CPE) modified with a combination of bimetallic copper/cerium-based metal organic framework (Cu/Ce-MOF) and nickel doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (NZP). The modifiers were characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and elemental mapping analysis (EDS). The electrochemical behavior of the modified electrode was studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The developed electrode was employed for the detection of CIP by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Under optimal conditions, the anodic peak current response of the electrode was linearly correlated with CIP concentration in the range of 0.75-100 μmol L-1 with a sensitivity of 1.29 μA μmol-1 L-1. The limit of detection and reproducibility of the method were 0.142 μmol L-1 and 2.7%, respectively. The developed sensor showed good selectivity to CIP against possible interferents. The method was applied to determine CIP in water, milk and urine samples. The results indicated that this method has potential to be applied in the analysis of residue CIP in complex matrices with high selectivity, and good reproducibility.

Combination of strong anion exchange liquid chromatography with microchip capillary electrophoresis sodium dodecyl sulfate for rapid two-dimensional separations of complex protein mixtures

Two-dimensional separations provide a simple way to increase the resolution and peak capacity of complex protein separations. The feasibility of a recently developed instrumental approach for two-dimensional separations of proteins was evaluated. The approach is based on the general principle of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. In the first dimension, semi-preparative strong anion exchange high-performance liquid chromatography is utilized and fractions are collected by means of a fraction collector. They are subsequently analyzed in the second dimension with microchip capillary electrophoresis sodium dodecyl sulfate. Microchip capillary electrophoresis provides the necessary speed (approximately 1 min/fraction) for short analysis. In this study, three different samples were investigated. Different constructs of soluble guanylyl cyclase were expressed in Sf9-cells using the baculovirus expression system. Cell lysates were analyzed and the resulting separations were compared. In our experimental setup, the soluble guanylyl cyclase was identified among hundreds of other proteins in these cell lysates, indicating its potential for screening, process control, or analysis. The results were validated by immunoblotting. Samples from Chinese hamster ovary cell culture before and after a purification step were investigated and approximately 9% less impurities could be observed. The separation patterns obtained for human plasma are closely similar to patterns obtained with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and a total of 218 peaks could be observed. Overall, the approach was well applicable to all samples and, based on these results, further directions for improvements were identified. .

Label-Free Ultrasensitive and Environment-Friendly Immunosensor Based on a Silica Optical Fiber for the Determination of Ciprofloxacin in Wastewater Samples

Emerging contaminants, including pharmaceutical compounds, are receiving research attention as a result of their widespread presence in effluents and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) is extensively employed to treat infections in animal and human medicine. Both CIP and its metabolites are common contaminants found in WWTPs. In this study, a label-free ultrasensitive U-bent optical fiber-based immunosensor for the determination of CIP in wastewater samples was developed using the properties of the conducting polymer polyaniline (PANI). The anti-CIP immunoglobulin G (IgG) was deposited on a silica optical fiber surface previously functionalized with PANI. Scanning electron microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to investigate the surface of the immunosensor. The analysis of CIP in wastewater was performed without the use of an organic solvent or sample preparation steps, with only the sample dilution in saline buffer (pH = 7.4). The linear range for CIP was from 0.01 to 10,000 ng L^-1. The detection limit was 3.30 × 10^-3 ng L^-1 and the quantification limit was 0.01 ng L^-1. The immunosensor provided a high average recovery of 91% after spiking wastewater samples with CIP at a concentration of 9,100 ng L^-1. The method was applied in triplicate to wastewater samples from Quebec (Canada), obtaining concentrations of 549 and 267 ng L^-1. A comparison with a reference method showed no significant difference (t-test at 95% confidence). The new technique developed is selective, allowing a quantitative analysis of CIP in wastewater.

Fluorometric determination of ciprofloxacin using molecularly imprinted polymer and polystyrene microparticles doped with europium(III)(DBM)3phen

The authors describe a microparticle-based system for the detection of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin. The method is using the tris(dibenzoylmethane)(1,10-phenanthroline)europium(III) luminophore in polystyrene microparticles along with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for ciprofloxacin. If ciprofloxacin is captured by the MIP, it quenches the fluorescence of the luminophores. Fluorescence drops linearly in the 0.5-100 μg L^-1 ciprofloxacin concentration range, and the detection limit is 92 ng L^-1. The method was applied to the analysis of fish samples to assess the analytical performance of the probe. Recoveries ranged from 85.4 to 86.6%, and relative standard deviations between 2.1 and 3.9% (for n = 5). Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of a microparticle-based probe using the tris(dibenzoylmethane)(1,10-phenanthroline)europium(III) luminophore in polystyrene particles along with a molecularly imprinted polymer for ciprofloxacin. After removal of template, carboxylic groups left in the probe can bind to ciprofloxacin through hydrogen bonds.

A nanocomposite optosensor containing carboxylic functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes and quantum dots incorporated into a molecularly imprinted polymer for highly selective and sensitive detection of ciprofloxacin

A nanocomposite optosensor consisting of carboxylic acid functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes and CdTe quantum dots embedded inside a molecularly imprinted polymer (COOH@MWCNT-MIP-QDs) was developed for trace ciprofloxacin detection. The COOH@MWCNT-MIP-QDs were synthesized through a facile sol-gel process using ciprofloxacin as a template molecule, 3-aminopropylethoxysilane as a functional monomer and tetraethoxysilane as a cross-linker at a molar ratio of 1:8:20. The synthesized nanocomposite optosensor had high sensitivity, excellent specificity and high binding affinity to ciprofloxacin. Under optimal conditions, the fluorescence intensity of the optosensor decreased in a linear fashion with the concentration of ciprofloxacin and two linear dynamic ranges were obtained, 0.10-1.0 μg L^-1 and 1.0-100.0 μg L^-1 with a very low limit of detection of 0.066 μg L^-1. The imprinting factors of the two linear range were 17.67 and 4.28, respectively. The developed nanocomposite fluorescence probe was applied towards the determination of ciprofloxacin levels in chicken muscle and milk samples with satisfactory recoveries being obtained in the range of 82.6 to 98.4%. The results were also in good agreement with a HPLC method which indicates that the optosensor can be used as a sensitive, selective and rapid method to detect ciprofloxacin in chicken and milk samples.

Selective Electrochemical Detection of Ciprofloxacin with a Porous Nafion/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Composite Film Electrode

This study focuses on the development of electrochemical sensors for the detection of Ciprofloxacin (CFX) in natural waters and wastewater effluents. The sensors are prepared by depositing a layer of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) dispersed in a porous Nafion film on to a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode substrate. The porous-Nafion-MWCNT/BDD electrode enhanced detection of CFX due to selective adsorption, which was accomplished by a combination of electrostatic attraction at -SO3(-) sites in the porous Nafion film and the formation of charge assisted hydrogen bonding between CFX and -COOH MWCNT surface functional groups. By contrast, the bare BDD electrode did not show any activity for CFX oxidation. The sensors were selective for CFX detection in the presence of other antibiotics (i.e., amoxicillin) and other nontarget water constituents (i.e., Cl(-), Ca(2+), humic acid, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, salicylic acid, 4-aminobenzoic acid, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid). A limit of detection of 5 nM (S/N = 5.04 ± 0.26) in a 0.1 M KH2PO4 supporting electrolyte (pH = 4.5) was obtained using differential pulse voltammetry. The linear dynamic ranges with respect to CFX concentration were 0.005-0.05 μM and 0.05-10 μM, and the sensitivities were 41 ± 5.2 μA μM(-1) and 2.1 ± 0.22 μA μM(-1), respectively. Sensor fouling was observed at high concentrations of some organic compounds such as 1 mM 4-aminobenzoic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. However, a short cathodic treatment fully restores sensor response. The results indicate that these sensors have application in detecting CFX in natural waters and wastewater effluents.

Fiber-optic array using molecularly imprinted microspheres for antibiotic analysis

In this article we describe a new class of high-density optical microarrays based on molecularly imprinted microsphere sensors that directly incorporate specific recognition capabilities to detect enrofloxacin (ENRO), an antibiotic widely used for both human and veterinary applications. This approach involves the preparation of highly cross-linked polymer microspheres by thermal precipitation-polymerization in the presence and absence of the target analyte ENRO to generate either molecularly imprinted (MIP) or non-imprinted polymer (NIP) microspheres, respectively. Each polymer type of tailor-made microsphere is fluorescently encoded with either coumarin-30 or tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline)ruthenium(ii) dichloride [Ru(dip)3]Cl2 to enable the microspheres to be distinguished. The new MIP-based sensing platform utilizes an optical fiber bundle containing approximately 50 000 individual 3.1 μm diameter fibers that are chemically etched to create microwells in which MIP and NIP microspheres can be deposited and imaged using an epi-fluorescence microscope. The method enables multiplexed detection by independently addressing both types of beads through their separate light channels. The unique response to the presence of ENRO is manifested on the basis of a competitive immunoassay. A red-fluorescent dye-tagged ENRO, labeled with BODIPY® TR Cadaverine, competes with ENRO for specific binding sites. The developed immuno-like assay displayed a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.04 μM (10% binding inhibition) and a dynamic range of 0.29-21.54 μM (20-80% binding inhibition). The selectivity of the assay was evaluated by measuring the cross-reactivity of other fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, danofloxacin, and flumequine) and non-related antibiotics (penicillin G and doxycycline). This work demonstrates, for the first time, the applicability of MIPs, as an alternative to biomolecule receptors, for the development of multiplexed detection fiber-optic microarrays paving the way for a new generation of biomimetic sensors.

A label-free electrical impedimetric biosensor for the specific detection of Alzheimer's amyloid-beta oligomers

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, with over 37 million sufferers worldwide and a global cost of over $600 billion. There is currently no cure for AD and no reliable method of diagnosis other than post-mortem brain examination. The development of a point-of-care test for AD is an urgent requirement in order to provide earlier diagnosis and, thus, useful therapeutic intervention. Here, we present a novel, label-free impedimetric biosensor for the specific detection of amyloid-beta oligomers (AβO), which are the primary neurotoxic species in AD. AβO have been proposed as the best biomarker for AD and levels of AβO in the blood have been found to correlate with cerebrospinal fluid load. The biorecognition element of our biosensor is a fragment of the cellular prion protein (PrP(C), residues 95-110), a highly expressed synaptic protein which mediates the neuronal binding and toxicity of AβO. During the layer-by-layer sensor construction, biotinylated PrP(C) (95-110) was attached via a biotin/NeutrAvidin bridge to polymer-functionalised gold screen-printed electrodes. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry and scanning electron microscopy were used to validate biosensor assembly and functionality. EIS was employed for biosensor interrogation in the presence of Aβ oligomers or monomers. The biosensor was specific for the detection of synthetic AβO and gave a linear response, without significant detection of monomeric Aβ, down to an equivalent AβO concentration of ~0.5 pM. The biosensor was also able to detect natural, cell-derived AβO present in conditioned medium. The eventual commercialisation of this biosensor system could allow for the early diagnosis and disease monitoring of AD.

A new application of scanning electrochemical microscopy for the label-free interrogation of antibody-antigen interactions: Part 2

Within this paper we describe the use of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) to fabricate a dotted array of biotinylated polyethyleneimine which was then used to immobilise first neutravidin and then a biotinylated antibody towards a relevant antigen of interest (PSA, NTx, ciprofloxacin). These antigens were selected both for their clinical relevance but also since they display a broad range of molecular weights, to determine whether the size of the antigen used effects the sensitivity of this approach. The SECM was then used to image the binding of both complementary and non-complementary antigens in a label-free assay. Imaging of the arrays before and following exposure to various concentrations of antigen in buffer showed clear evidence for specific binding of the complementary antigens to the antibody functionalised dots. Non-specific binding was also quantified by control experiments with other antigens. This demonstrated non-specific binding across the whole of the substrate, thereby confirming that specific binding does occur between the antibody and antigen of interest at the surface of the dots. The binding of ciprofloxacin was investigated both in simple buffer solution and in a more complex media, bovine milk.

Selective advantage of resistant strains at trace levels of antibiotics: a simple and ultrasensitive color test for detection of antibiotics and genotoxic agents

Many studies have examined the evolution of bacterial mutants that are resistant to specific antibiotics, and many of these focus on concentrations at and above the MIC. Here we ask for the minimum concentration at which existing resistant mutants can outgrow sensitive wild-type strains in competition experiments at antibiotic levels significantly below the MIC, and we define a minimum selective concentration (MSC) in Escherichia coli for two antibiotics, which is near 1/5 of the MIC for ciprofloxacin and 1/20 of the MIC for tetracycline. Because of the prevalence of resistant mutants already in the human microbiome, allowable levels of antibiotics to which we are exposed should be below the MSC. Since this concentration often corresponds to low or trace levels of antibiotics, it is helpful to have simple tests to detect such trace levels. We describe a simple ultrasensitive test for detecting the presence of antibiotics and genotoxic agents. The test is based on the use of chromogenic proteins as color markers and the use of single and multiple mutants of Escherichia coli that have greatly increased sensitivity to either a wide range of antibiotics or specific antibiotics, antibiotic families, and genotoxic agents. This test can detect ciprofloxacin at 1/75 of the MIC.

Impedimetric immunosensor doped with reduced graphene sheets fabricated by controllable electrodeposition for the non-labelled detection of bacteria

A facile, sensitive and reliable impedimetric immunosensor doped with reduced graphene sheets (RGSs) and combined with a controllable electrodeposition technique was developed for the selective detection of marine pathogenic sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB). The morphology of RGSs and the electrochemical properties of RGSs-doped chitosan (CS) nanocomposite film were investigated by atomic force microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and CV were used to verify the stepwise assembly of the sensor system. Faradic impedance spectroscopy for charge transfer for the redox probe Fe(CN)(6)(3-/4-) was done to determine SRB concentrations. The diameter of the Nyquist diagram that is equal to the charge-transfer resistance (R(ct)) increased with increasing SRB concentration. A linear relationship between R(ct) and SRB concentration was obtained in the SRB concentration range of 1.8×10(1) to 1.8×10(7) cfu/ml. The impedimetric biosensor gave a distinct response to SRB, but had no obvious response to Vibrio angillarum. It showed a high selectivity for the detection of the pathogen. Based on a combination of the biocompatibility of CS and good electrical conductivity of RGSs, a nanocomposite film with novel architecture was used to immobilize biological and chemical targets and to develop a new type of biosensor.

Sonochemically fabricated microelectrode arrays for use as sensing platforms

The development, manufacture, modification and subsequent utilisation of sonochemically-formed microelectrode arrays is described for a range of applications. Initial fabrication of the sensing platform utilises ultrasonic ablation of electrochemically insulating polymers deposited upon conductive carbon substrates, forming an array of up to 70,000 microelectrode pores cm(-2). Electrochemical and optical analyses using these arrays, their enhanced signal response and stir-independence area are all discussed. The growth of conducting polymeric "mushroom" protrusion arrays with entrapped biological entities, thereby forming biosensors is detailed. The simplicity and inexpensiveness of this approach, lending itself ideally to mass fabrication coupled with unrivalled sensitivity and stir independence makes commercial viability of this process a reality. Application of microelectrode arrays as functional components within sensors include devices for detection of chlorine, glucose, ethanol and pesticides. Immunosensors based on microelectrode arrays are described within this monograph for antigens associated with prostate cancer and transient ischemic attacks (strokes).

Label-free immunochemistry approach to detect and identity antibiotics in milk

The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a major concern for the continued health and well-being of the general population. The widespread use of antibiotics within the farming industry is one of the factors that have been linked to the appearance of these resistant strains. Regulation exists to prevent antibiotic foodstuffs such as milk being distributed to consumers; however, for this to be effective, methods must exist for testing the milk to enforce these regulations. Current techniques are often time consuming and expensive, especially when applied to large number of samples. This has led to an interest in milk analyses, which can be carried out outside the laboratory. The development of immunosensors that exploit the exquisite specificity of antibody binding has been studied, both using labeled antibodies such as ELISA assays and, more recently, label-free approaches that directly detect the presence of the antibiotic on binding to a specific antibody. Within this review, we detail recent advances in the detection of antibiotics, especially in milk, using a variety of methods. Various techniques such as electrochemical and surface plasmon resonance methods are described.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

This review describes recent advances in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with an emphasis on its novel applications to various electrochemistry-related problems. Section 1 discusses the development of new EIS techniques to reduce measurement time. For this purpose, various forms of multisine EIS techniques were first developed via a noise signal synthesized by mixing ac waves of various frequencies, followed by fast Fourier transform of the signal and the resulting current. Subsequently, an entirely new concept was introduced in which true white noise was used as an excitation source, followed by Fourier transform of both excitation and response signals. Section 2 describes novel applications of the newly developed techniques to time-resolved impedance measurements as well as to impedance imaging. Section 3 is devoted to recent applications of EIS techniques, specifically traditional measurements in various fields with a special emphasis on biosensor detections.

Challenges of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in protein biosensing

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurement, performed in the presence of a redox agent, is a convenient method to measure molecular interactions of electrochemically inactive compounds taking place on the electrode surface. High sensitivity of the method, being highly advantageous, can be also associated with nonspecific impedance changes that could be easily mistaken for specific interactions. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of all possible causes and perform parallel control experiments to rule them out. We present the results obtained during the early stages of aptamer-based sensor development, utilizing a model system of human alpha thrombin interacting with a thiolated DNA aptamer, immobilized on gold electrodes. EIS measurements took place in the presence of iron ferrocyanides. In addition to known method limitations, that is, inability to discriminate between specific and nonspecific binding (both causing impedance increase), we have found other factors leading to nonspecific impedance changes, such as: (i) initial electrode contamination; (ii) repetitive measurements; (iii) additional cyclic voltammetry (CV) or differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) measurements; and (iv) additional incubations in the buffer between measurements, which have never been discussed before. We suggest ways to overcome the method limitations.