Electrochemical aptasensor for the detection of mycotoxins in food samples by experimental and computational methods
Authors:   , Kunene Kwanele 
Published: October 2022

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi that are present in various foodstuff and feed commodities. A large number of mycotoxins exist, however only a limited number represent a major damages and toxic properties. Amongst them, the aflatoxins and ochratoxins are deemed to be the most poisonous and extensively circulated in the world and then, represent a real hazard to both human and animal. Depending on several factors like the consumption levels, exposure time, mechanisms of action, digestion and defense mechanisms, mycotoxins stimulate a wide spectrum of toxicological effects leading to both acute and chronic diseases, liver and kidney failure, skin rash, cancer, immune suppression, birth defects or even death. To address the harmful impact of mycotoxin contaminants in food and feed, health authorities in various countries world-wide have established guidelines in order to protect human and animal from the possible damages instigated by these toxins. Authorities such as the European Commission, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) set up maximum level regulations for main mycotoxins in foods and feeds. To accomplish the expectations of these regulation levels, there is a great need for the development and validation of modern, uncomplicated, rapid, and detailed methodologies for the detection of toxins. In this study, various approaches for the rapid, inexpensive and ultrasensitive biosensors for the detection of two major mycotoxins were developed. The electrochemical-based aptasensor and immunosensor were developed for the determination of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in different food products. The fabricated biosensors demonstrated good practical analytical feasibility for mycotoxins detection in real samples such as WeetBix, yoghurt, coffee and in wine samples with excellent recoveries and RSD values. To avoid fouling on the sensor surface by the constituents present in real samples, the carbon screen printed electrode (C-SPE) and carbon felt electrode (CFE) surfaces were modified with different nanomaterials such as silver nanoparticle (AgNPs), palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs), palladium doped boron nitride (PdNPs-BN) and titanium nanoparticles doped with boron nitride BN-TiO2. In addition, the aptamers and antibodies were immobilized on the modified electrode in order to enhance the selectivity of the sensor towards the detection of OTA and AFB1. The electrochemical aptasensor for OTA permitted for highly sensitive detection in Weet-Bix with a wide linear range (0.002 - 0.016 mg L-1) and limit of detection of 7×10-4 mg L-1. It is worth prominence that it is the first time that carbon screen printed electrode (C-SPE) modified with AgNPs was used, opening new pathways for highly precise analysis. Experimental results were further supported computationally for a better understanding of the interaction between the aptamer and the analytes. Computational results were in good agreement with experimental results. The same procedure was also established in voltammetric detection of AFB1 using CFE modified with BN-TiO2 (CF/BN-TiO2). A wide concentration range of 2.5 - 20 ng mL-1 with an excellent LOD of 0.002 ng mL-1 for AFB1 was obtained. For the case study of wine samples tested for AFB1 detection, a simple but very effective pretreatment method was effectively applied. The addition of acetonitrile to the wine reduces the non-specific interactions that might be accountable for inactivation of antibody and blocking of the sensor surface. Furthermore, the PdNPs-BN enhanced the electrical signal and the sensor sensitivity. Attained results allowed for AFB1 detection at concentrations range from 1.0 - 10 ng mL-1 with limit of detection of 0.832 ng mL-1 . In the case study of the electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of OTA in coffee, a linear detection range of 0.5 - 20 ng mL-1 was achieved with LOD of 0.096 ng mL-1 . The fabricated aptasensors and immunosensors in this study combines the most desirable characteristics of a good biosensor such as high sensitivity, inexpensive, rapid, and simple but portable method make proposed approaches an important and very promising tools for extensive biosensing applications.