Aerosol-Printed Graphene Unveiled as a Low Cost and Faster Food Toxin Sensor
Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:
Researchers in the USA have developed a graphene-based electrochemical sensor capable of detecting histamines (allergens) and toxins in food much faster than standard laboratory tests.
[...] The team created high-resolution interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) on flexible substrates, which they converted into histamine sensors by covalently linking monoclonal antibodies to oxygen moieties created on the graphene surface by a CO2 thermal annealing process.
They then tested the sensors in both a buffering solution (PBS) and fish broth, to see how effective they were at detecting histamines.
Co-author Kshama Parate, from Iowa State University, said: "We found the graphene biosensor could detect histamine in PBS and fish broth over toxicologically-relevant ranges of 6.25 to 100 parts per million (ppm) and 6.25 to 200 ppm, respectively, with similar detection limits of 2.52 ppm and 3.41 ppm, respectively. These sensor results are significant, as histamine levels over 50 ppm in fish can cause adverse health effects including severe allergic reactions-for example, scombroid food poisoning.
[...] Senior author Dr. Jonathan Claussen, from Iowa State University, said: "This type of biosensor could be used in food processing facilities, import and export ports, and supermarkets where continuous on-site monitoring of food samples is needed. This on-site testing will eliminate the need to send food samples for laboratory testing, which requires additional handling steps, increases time and cost to histamine analysis, and consequently increases the risk of foodborne illnesses and food wastage.
"It could also likely be used in other biosensing applications where rapid monitoring of target molecules is needed, as the sample pre-treatment is eliminated using the developed immunosensing protocol.
Journal Reference:
Jonathan Claussen, Kshama Parate.Aerosol-jet-printed graphene electrochemical histamine sensors for food safety monitoring - IOPscience, 2D Materials (DOI: 10.1088/2053-1583/ab8919)
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