Engineering Aptameric Responsive Photonic Biosensor Based on Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Network for the Detection of...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Materials Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Cyanobacterial toxins pose a significant threat to environmental and human health.
• Accurate and rapid detection methods for these toxins are crucial for effective water quality monitoring.
• Existing detection methods often require complex instrumentation and are not suitable for field deployment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, portable optical biosensor for the detection of cyanobacterial toxins.
• To utilize a porous cholesteric liquid crystal network (CLCN) functionalized with aptamers for enhanced sensing capabilities.
• To provide a cost-effective and field-deployable solution for on-site water quality assessment.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a porous CLCN using commercially available liquid crystal monomers.
• Functionalization of the CLCN with anatoxin-specific aptamers to create a molecular recognition element.
• Development of a colorimetric readout based on aptamer-analyte binding events, observable by the naked eye.
• Testing the biosensor's performance in real-water matrices.

Main Results:

• The biosensor achieved a low nanomolar detection limit (4.75 nM) for anatoxin.
• Demonstrated strong selectivity against other common cyanotoxins.
• Exhibited reliable performance in real-water samples with high recovery rates (85-110%).
• The photonic matrix proved robust under various environmental conditions (hot and humid).

Conclusions:

• The developed aptamer-functionalized porous CLCN biosensor offers a novel and effective approach for optical sensing.
• This portable, colorimetric device provides a practical, cost-effective, and globally accessible tool for water quality monitoring.
• The system's adaptability for field deployment addresses the need for on-site environmental analysis.