Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2025
17:16
Development of an Electrochemical DNA Biosensor to Detect a Foodborne Pathogen
Published on: June 3, 2018
13.2K
A genetically-encoded biosensor for direct detection of perfluorooctanoic acid
Madison M Mann1, Bryan W Berger2,3
1Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, 102 Engineers Way, Charlottesville, VA, 22901, USA.
Scientific Reports
|September 13, 2023
Summary
Researchers developed a novel fluorescent biosensor for detecting perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a type of PFAS. This sensor, based on human liver fatty acid binding protein, shows promise for rapid PFOA detection in various samples, including environmental water.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Regulatory agencies are setting stringent limits for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water.
- Detection of PFAS, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), is increasingly important in diverse matrices like soil, food, and consumer products, often at part per billion (ppb) to part per million (ppm) levels.
- Existing methods for PFAS detection can be time-consuming and complex, necessitating the development of rapid and sensitive analytical tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer a novel fluorescent biosensor for the rapid and sensitive detection of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
- To evaluate the performance of the biosensor in detecting PFOA in both buffer solutions and environmental water samples.
- To demonstrate the feasibility of using whole E. coli cells as a platform for PFOA sensing.
Main Methods:
- Engineered a fluorescent biosensor by conjugating circularly permuted green fluorescent protein (cp.GFP) to a split human liver fatty acid binding protein (hLFABP) construct.
- Assessed the biosensor's ability to detect perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and environmental water samples.
- Demonstrated whole-cell sensing by expressing the protein-based sensor in E. coli and evaluating its PFOA detection capabilities.
Main Results:
- The engineered biosensor successfully detected perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in PBS with a limit of detection (LOD) of 236 ppb.
- Detection of PFOA in environmental water samples yielded an LOD of 330 ppb.
- E. coli cells engineered to express the sensor demonstrated rapid PFOA detection, confirming the viability of whole-cell sensing.
Conclusions:
- A label-free optical biosensor platform utilizing a cp.GFP and split hLFABP conjugate was successfully developed for PFOA detection.
- The biosensor offers a rapid method for detecting PFOA at relevant concentrations in environmental water and potentially other matrices.
- The feasibility of whole-cell sensing using engineered E. coli highlights a promising avenue for in-situ and field-deployable PFOA monitoring.
