Handheld Inkjet Printing Paper Chip Based Smart Tetracycline Detector

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Biosensing Technology
• Food Safety

Background:

• Tetracycline is extensively used in medicine and animal feed, leading to residues in food products.
• Conventional tetracycline detection methods are sensitive but impractical for rapid, on-site analysis due to complex equipment and procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a portable, cost-effective smart detector for on-site tetracycline residue analysis.
• To enable rapid and precise quantification of tetracycline in animal-origin foods.

Main Methods:

• Utilized inkjet printing to create paper chip-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for tetracycline detection.
• Integrated a smartphone-based reader and application for automated data analysis and operation.

Main Results:

• The developed smart tetracycline detector demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity.
• Achieved a low detection limit of approximately 0.05 ng/mL with practical measurements.
• The device offers simple operation, high precision, and fast detection speeds.

Conclusions:

• The handheld inkjet-printed paper chip detector provides a promising solution for antibiotic sensing.
• This technology facilitates routine home testing and field-based on-site detection of tetracycline residues.