Surface plasmon resonance biosensor for determination of tetrodotoxin: prevalidation study

Area of Science:

• Food Safety
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biosensing Technology

Background:

• Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin found in pufferfish, posing a significant public health risk.
• Accurate and rapid detection of TTX is crucial for ensuring the safety of seafood products.
• Existing methods for TTX detection can be time-consuming and require specialized equipment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a label-free surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor for quantifying tetrodotoxin (TTX).
• To assess the performance characteristics of the SPR biosensor, including selectivity, limit of detection (LOD), and accuracy.
• To compare the SPR biosensor method with a reference method (HPLC/MS) for TTX detection in pufferfish matrixes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a label-free surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor with an antibody inhibition assay format.
• Conducted a prevalidation study to determine assay performance characteristics.
• Analyzed TTX in buffer and pufferfish matrix samples, including spiked and naturally contaminated samples, across three laboratories.

Main Results:

• The SPR biosensor demonstrated a broad detection range (2-9000 ng/mL) with an LOD of 1.5 ng/mL for TTX.
• Between-laboratory recovery rates for spiked samples were 107% (buffer) and 103% (pufferfish matrix).
• Satisfactory between-laboratory recoveries (101-119%) were achieved for naturally contaminated samples, showing good agreement with the reference method.

Conclusions:

• The developed SPR biosensor method is robust, rapid, and noninvasive for TTX detection in pufferfish.
• This method presents a promising and attractive alternative to conventional TTX detection techniques.
• The biosensor contributes to enhanced food safety by enabling efficient TTX monitoring in seafood.