Sensitive electrochemical gold nanoparticle-based immunosensor for norovirus detection in food samples

Area of Science:

• * Biomedical Engineering
• * Nanotechnology
• * Food Safety Diagnostics

Background:

• * Norovirus (NoV) is a leading cause of non-bacterial gastroenteritis globally.
• * Sensitive and selective diagnostic tools are essential for controlling NoV spread.
• * Existing detection methods may lack the required sensitivity or speed for rapid diagnostics.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To develop a stable and highly sensitive biosensor for detecting norovirus (NoV) in food.
• * To create a diagnostic platform capable of identifying NoV using specific viral protein interactions.
• * To validate the performance of the developed immunosensor for practical applications.

Main Methods:

• * Fabrication of a bio-platform using a modified gold electrode with l-cysteine monolayer and gold nanoparticles.
• * Immobilization of antibodies specific to the norovirus VP1 surface protein.
• * Electrochemical analysis using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry to detect viral binding.

Main Results:

• * The immunosensor demonstrated high sensitivity and linearity for NoV detection, with a detection limit of 1 × 10^-18 TCID₅₀.
• * Binding of the VP1 protein to antibodies caused a measurable decrease in current, proportional to NoV concentration.
• * Characterization confirmed successful modification steps and a diffusion-controlled electrochemical process.

Conclusions:

• * The developed immunosensor offers a sensitive and selective method for detecting norovirus in food samples.
• * The biosensor exhibits excellent stability, linearity, and recovery, making it suitable for diagnostic applications.
• * This technology contributes to improved food safety and public health by enabling rapid NoV identification.