Mycotoxin detection on antibody-immobilized conducting polymer-supported electrochemically polymerized acacia gum

Electrochemical polymerization of acacia gum (AG) was initiated by electroactive polyaniline (PANI) monomers by radical cation formation and their coupling reactions with AG molecules. R(CT) values obtained from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis at various AG concentrations with PANI were drastically decreased, confirming formation of conducting AG complexes with PANI. Quantitative analysis of ochratoxin-A (OTA) detection in electrolyte was carried out on rabbit antibody-immobilized PANI and PANI-AG matrices. The observed sensitivities of 50, 150, and 250 mg AG-added PANI matrix-based platforms were 3.3 ± 0.5, 10.0 ± 0.5, and 12.7 ± 0.5 μA/ng/ml, respectively. The sensitivity of only PANI electrodes was 2.6 ± 0.3 μA/ng/ml, which was relatively lower than AG-added PANI. This increase was due to the presence of glycan functional groups in AG molecules that supported the retention of activity of antibodies. In addition, enhanced electron transportation at AG-PANI film surface was observed due to formation of an electroactive polymer film of two different electroactive functions to contribute toward enhancement in the detection sensitivity.