An Electrochemical Aptamer-Based (E-AB) Sensor Using Ti₃C₂T_x(MXene) and cDNA-PAA for Detection of AFB1

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Biosensors
• Materials Science

Background:

• Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a toxic contaminant in food, posing significant health risks.
• Sensitive and reliable detection methods for AFB1 are crucial for food safety.
• Existing detection methods may lack sensitivity or require complex procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel electrochemical aptasensor for sensitive and accurate detection of AFB1.
• To utilize Ti3C2Tx (MXene) and a cDNA-PAA composite for enhanced sensing performance.
• To validate the sensor's efficacy in detecting AFB1 in real food samples like peanuts.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an electrochemical aptasensor using Ti3C2Tx (MXene) as the electrode material.
• Synthesis of a cDNA-PAA nanogel composite for signal amplification.
• Immobilization of aptamer-methylene blue conjugates on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs).
• Electrochemical detection using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV).

Main Results:

• The Ti3C2Tx (MXene) enhanced electrochemical efficiency and sensor stability.
• The cDNA-PAA composite provided synergistic signal amplification.
• The aptasensor achieved a low detection limit of 1.0 × 10⁻³ ng/L for AFB1.
• Detection range was 1 to 1000 ng/L with high spiked recovery rates (97.76%–101.84%) in peanuts.

Conclusions:

• The developed electrochemical aptasensor demonstrates high sensitivity and accuracy for AFB1 detection.
• Ti3C2Tx (MXene) and cDNA-PAA composite are effective components for biosensor development.
• This sensor shows great potential for practical application in food safety monitoring.