A smartphone aptasensor for fipronil detection in honey samples

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Biosensor Technology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Fipronil, a widely used insecticide, poses risks to human health and the environment.
• Current detection methods for fipronil are often complex and inaccessible.
• There is a need for rapid, portable, and accurate fipronil detection tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel electrochemical smartphone-based aptasensor for fipronil determination.
• To create a portable and convenient device for in situ fipronil detection.
• To address the limitations of existing fipronil analysis methods.

Main Methods:

• Modification of a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) with aptamers.
• Development of a competitive replacement assay for fipronil detection.
• Integration of the aptasensor with smartphone technology for data analysis.

Main Results:

• The aptasensor achieved a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.07 μg kg⁻¹ and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 3.21 μg kg⁻¹.
• The sensor demonstrated selectivity against potential interferents like atrazine.
• The developed aptasensor showed comparable results to HPLC-MS when tested on honey samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed smartphone-based aptasensor is a viable tool for accurate and on-site fipronil quantification.
• This technology offers an affordable and effective alternative for fipronil monitoring in food matrices.
• The aptasensor has potential applications beyond honey, including other food products and environmental samples.