Laser-enabled flexible electrochemical sensor on finger for fast food security detection

Today's rampant abuse of antibiotics and lean meat powder disturbs environment and threatens public human health. Therefore, fast in-site detection of antibiotics or lean meat powder residue could avoid potential risks. In this work, flexible graphene electrodes (FGE) were easily and facilely patterned and prepared by CO₂ laser at room environment, which was coupled with a portable electrochemical analyzer for electronic signal transmission. Laser-enabled flexible electrochemical sensor on finger can be used for rapid real-time in-site electrochemical identification of chloramphenicol (CAP), clenbuterol (CLB) and ractopamine (RAC) in meat. The electrochemical response of CAP, CLB and RAC is investigated with the limit of detection of 2.70, 1.29 and 7.81 μM and the linear range of 10-200, 5-80 and 25-250 μM in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) pH 7.0, correspondingly. The minimum detection concentrations of CAP, CLB and RAC were 20, 10 and 30 μM, respectively, in actual samples of pork. And the minimum detection concentrations of CAP, CLB and RAC were 10, 5 and 25 μM in milk, respectively. Such an integrated sensing platform enriches application of sensors on finger in food security and provides information that prevents drug containments from entering food chain.