Ultrasensitive Lateral Flow Immunoassay for Fumonisin B1 Detection Using Highly Luminescent Aggregation-Induced Emission Microbeads

Preparation of Hybrid Magnetic Nanoparticles for Sensitive and Rapid Detection of Phorate Residue in Celery Using SERS Immunochromatography Assay

Extensive use of pesticides in agricultural production has been causing serious health threats to humans and animals. Among them, phorate is a highly toxic organophosphorus insecticide that has been widely used in planting. Due to its harmful effects on human and animal health, it has been restricted for use in many countries. Analytical methods for the rapid and sensitive detection of phorate residues in agricultural products are urgently needed. In this study, a new method was developed by combining surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and immunochromatography assay (ICA). Hybrid magnetic Fe3O4@Au@DTNB-Ab nanoprobes were prepared by modifying and growing Au nanoseeds on an Fe3O4 core. SERS activity of the nanoprobe was optimized by adjusting the concentration of the Au precursor. A rapid and sensitive assay was established by replacing the traditional colloidal gold-based ICA with hybrid SERS nanoprobes for SERS-ICA. After optimizing parameters including coating antibody concentrations and the composition and pH of the buffer solution, the limit of detection (LOD) for phorate could reach 1 ng/mL, with a linear range of 5~100 ng/mL. This LOD is remarkably lower than the maximum residue limit in vegetables and fruits set by the Chinese government. The feasibility of this method was further examined by conducting a spiking test with celery as the real sample. The result demonstrated that this method could serve as a promising platform for rapid and sensitive detection of phorate in agricultural products.

Improvement of the sensitivity of lateral flow systems for detecting mycotoxins: Up-to-date strategies and future perspectives

Mycotoxins are dangerous human and animal health-threatening secondary fungal metabolites that can be found in various food and agricultural products. Several countries have established regulations to restrict their presence in food and agricultural products destined for human and animal consumption. Consequently, the need to develop highly sensitive and smart detection systems was recognized worldwide. Lateral flow assay possesses the advantages of easy operation, rapidity, stability, accuracy, and specificity, and it plays an important role in the detection of mycotoxins. Nevertheless, strategies to comprehensively improve the sensitivity of lateral flow assay to mycotoxins in food have rarely been highlighted and discussed. In this article, a comprehensive overview was presented on the application of lateral flow assay in mycotoxin detection in food samples by highlighting the principle of lateral flow assay, presenting a detailed discussion on various analytical performance-improvement strategies, such as the development of high-affinity recognition reagents, immunogen immobilization methods, and signal amplification. Additionally, a detailed discussion on the various signal analyzers and interpretation approaches was provided. Finally, current hurdles and future perspectives on the application of lateral flow assay in the detection of mycotoxins were discussed.

Recent Advances in Electrochemiluminescence Biosensors for Mycotoxin Assay

Rapid and efficient detection of mycotoxins is of great significance in the field of food safety. In this review, several traditional and commercial detection methods are introduced, such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), test strips, etc. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensors have the advantages of high sensitivity and specificity. The use of ECL biosensors for mycotoxins detection has attracted great attention. According to the recognition mechanisms, ECL biosensors are mainly divided into antibody-based, aptamer-based, and molecular imprinting techniques. In this review, we focus on the recent effects towards the designation of diverse ECL biosensors in mycotoxins assay, mainly including their amplification strategies and working mechanism.