Signal-off based dual-mode sensing platform for ultrasensitive detection of antibiotics in food samples

Development of efficient and accurate detection methods for antibiotics is crucial for ensuring food safety and safeguarding human health. In this study, a dual-mode sensing platform was constructed by integrating photoelectrochemical (PEC) and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) techniques for the sensitive detection of kanamycin using an aptamer signal conversion strategy which was based on the C₃N₄/MXene-gold nanoparticles heterojunction. The sensitive dual-mode sensing platform enabled detection of kanamycin, with linear response ranges of 10^-3 to 10⁵ nM for PEC with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.53 pM, and 10^-2 to 10⁴ nM for SERS with a LOD of 4.8 pM. Notably, this platform exhibited excellent performance for kanamycin assays in raw milk. Furthermore, combined with various aptamer-targets, it can be easily broadened to detect more low concentration target substances in other complex matrix, showcasing its vast potential for diverse applications.