A smartphone-based quantitative detection platform of mycotoxins based on multiple-color upconversion nanoparticles

Area of Science:

• Food safety analysis
• Nanotechnology applications
• Biosensing technologies

Background:

• Mycotoxins in food present a significant public health risk.
• Accurate and rapid detection methods are crucial for food safety.
• Existing detection methods can be time-consuming and require specialized equipment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a quantitative detection platform for mycotoxins.
• To integrate multicolor upconversion nanoparticle barcode technology with smartphone-based fluorescence image processing.
• To create a rapid, reliable, and portable system for mycotoxin analysis.

Main Methods:

• Development of multi-colored upconversion nanoparticle encoded microspheres (UCNMs) for multiplexed detection.
• Utilizing indirect competitive immunoassays with UCNMs.
• Employing a smartphone-based portable device with a custom Android application for image capture and analysis (HSV-based image recognition).

Main Results:

• Successful development of a feasible and reliable quantitative detection platform for mycotoxins.
• Achieved a low limit of detection (LOD) of 1 ng, surpassing standard assay sensitivity.
• Demonstrated simultaneous detection of different mycotoxins with results obtained in under 1 minute.

Conclusions:

• The developed smartphone-based platform offers a promising solution for rapid and sensitive mycotoxin detection in food.
• This technology has potential applications in food safety monitoring and point-of-care diagnostics.
• Integration of nanotechnology and mobile technology provides an accessible tool for public health protection.