Dummy molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction-SERS determination of AFB1 in peanut

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Food Safety
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a class I carcinogen and a major mycotoxin contaminant in food and feed, posing significant health risks.
• Current detection methods for AFB1 can be complex and lack the sensitivity and selectivity required for effective food safety monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple, sensitive, and selective surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) method for detecting aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in peanut samples.
• To integrate dummy molecularly imprinted polymers (DMIPs) for selective enrichment of AFB1 prior to SERS analysis.

Main Methods:

• Dummy molecularly imprinted polymers (DMIPs) were synthesized using N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and 7-ethoxycoumarin (7-EOC) as a dummy template.
• Dummy molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (DMISPE) was employed for the selective enrichment of AFB1 from peanut extracts.
• A thioctic acid-decorated silver nanoparticle (TA-AgNPs) monolayer film was used as a SERS-active substrate for AFB1 quantification.

Main Results:

• The DMISPE method effectively enriched AFB1 from complex peanut sample matrices.
• The SERS assay demonstrated high sensitivity for AFB1 detection, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.1 μg L⁻¹.
• A linear concentration relationship for AFB1 was observed in the range of 0.1 to 10 μg L⁻¹.

Conclusions:

• The developed SERS method integrated with DMIPs provides a reliable and sensitive approach for AFB1 detection in peanuts.
• This method holds potential for routine food safety analysis, enabling better control of aflatoxin contamination.
• The combination of DMIPs for sample preparation and SERS for detection offers a promising strategy for mycotoxin analysis.