Nanopore-based aptasensor for label-free and sensitive vanillin determination in food samples

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biosensing
• Food Chemistry

Background:

• Vanillin detection is crucial for food quality and safety.
• Existing methods for vanillin detection often lack sensitivity or selectivity.
• Nanopore technology offers potential for sensitive biomolecule detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a highly selective nanopore aptasensor for vanillin detection.
• To evaluate the sensor's performance in terms of linear range, detection limit, and selectivity.
• To validate the sensor's applicability in real food samples.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of 5-6 nm nanopores using dielectric breakdown.
• Immobilization of a vanillin-specific aptamer (Van_74) as a capture probe.
• Monitoring aptamer/vanillin complex translocation events through the nanopore.

Main Results:

• The aptasensor demonstrated a linear detection range from 0.5 to 5 nM (R² = 0.972).
• A low limit of detection of 500 pM was achieved, surpassing conventional platforms.
• The sensor exhibited excellent immunity to interferents and accurately detected vanillin in food samples, validated by UV-Vis assay.

Conclusions:

• The developed nanopore aptasensor is a sensitive and selective platform for vanillin detection.
• This proof-of-concept demonstrates the potential of aptamer/nanopore sensors for small molecule analysis in food safety.
• The method provides a reliable and efficient tool for ensuring food quality and safety.