In a research study published recently in the journal Agriculture, an electrolytic sensor based on the concentration of floral nano-ZnO and the identification of immune reaction was created for the high-sensitivity monitoring of Tenuazonic acid (TeA) in fruit and vegetables.
When comparing various morphologies, dimensions, and crystalline structures of nano-ZnO, the researchers discovered that floral nano-ZnO (ZnO NFs) with a hexagonal phase had the best surface area and conductance.
What is Tenuazonic Acid (TeA)?
When compared to other Alternaria chemicals, tenuazonic acid (TeA) exhibits a high level of toxic effects, including neurotoxicity and probable carcinogenic effects.
It may also cause cumulative harm when combined with other toxins, leading to acute poisoning.
TeA can be found in a variety of foods, including grains, peppercorns, vegetables, fruits, and even animal proteins, with levels of contamination varying from a few milligrams to thousands of milligrams.
TeA was included by the United States National Council for Occupational Health & Safety in 1979 due to its high contamination of farm products.
Figure 1. The SEM image of flower-shaped nano-ZnO (A) and brush-shaped nano-ZnO (B); XRD patterns of ZnO (C); FT-IR spectrum of amino-modified nano-ZnO (D). © Zhang, C. et al. (2022)
To date, enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and column chromatography spectroscopy have been the primary methods for detecting the carcinogen TeA.
However, since these traditional detection systems have significant drawbacks, such as being inconvenient, time-consuming, and having low susceptibility, enhancements in sensing methods of TeA are still needed.
Importance of ZnO Based Electrochemical Biosensors
In comparison to the approaches mentioned above, the electrochemical biosensor has been commonly regarded as a potent assessment technique with several advantages, including quick detection rate and mobile devices.
Recent research has focused on increasing its high specificity using a nanocomposite with a large surface area, great conductance, and superior photocatalytic characteristics.
Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a global semiconductor that may function as both a nanocomposite and a transistor. Because of its huge surface area, excellent durability, and superior cytocompatibility, it can offer much more redox potential for biorecognition components such as nucleic acid aptamers and monoclonal antibodies.
Since numerous microstructures of ZnO have been effectively implemented to biosensors to identify different bioactive molecules, it is essential to measure the impact of varying morphological features of ZnO on surface area and permeability to widen its implementation in delicate biosensors.
Figure 2. Cyclic voltametric characterization of constructing electrochemical immunosensor (A) Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy characterization of constructing electrochemical immunosensor (B) (a: bare Au; b: bare Au/ZnO; c: bare Au/ZnO/antibody; d: bare Au/ZnO/antibody/BSA; e: bare Au/ZnO/antibody/BSA/TeA). © Zhang, C. et al. (2022)
ZnO NFs as Biosensors for Detection of TeA
In this study, by carefully adjusting pH, response duration, activation time, and precipitator, ZnO with various morphologies, dimensions, and crystallinity was manufactured.
Because of the hard surface, three-dimensional structure, and numerous gaps on each nucleotide surface, the floral nanoscale ZnO has the highest load-bearing capacity.
Through an amidation process between the amino group of antigens and the carboxylate, the ZnO NFs were covalently bonded with TeA specific antibodies and subsequently anchored on a gold working electrode altered with 2-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA).
Construction of Electrochemical TeA Sensor
A traditional three-electrode cell arrangement was used in which a gold wire acted as the electrode material, an Ag/AgCl electrode functioned as the reference electrode, and a Pt cable worked as the counter electrode.
The gold electrode was first soaked in a 1 percent MBA absolute ethanol, then maintained at 37 °C for 2 hours before being washed with distilled water and air-dried.
CV imaging and electrical resistance spectrometry were performed after each of the layers above had been modified.
The electrochemical behavior was investigated using a differentiated pulse voltammetry (DPV) test with a phase voltage of 4 mV, a frequency of 25 Hz, and an intensity of 25 mV.
Research Conclusion and Prospects
In conclusion, to overcome the high-loading issue of specific antibodies, the researchers created altered ZnO and floral nano-ZnO.
The effective production of Au/ZnO/antibody/BSA/TeA was validated by CV and EIS studies. Moreover, the electrolytic biosensor has good specificity and low resistance.
Sensitivity experiments revealed that it has a unique anti-interference capability against pollutants with a composition comparable to TeA.
TeA was effectively determined with a low detection limit using a straightforward, cost-effective, and pollution-free nano-ZnO, paving the way for the development of more economical and accurate biosensors for the identification of additional substances.
Figure 3. Selectivity of the biosensor detection of TeA (500 pg/mL) against the interference proteins: 50 ng/mL ALT, 50 ng/mL AME, 50 ng/mL TEN, and 50 ng/mL AOH. © Zhang, C. et al. (2022)
News
This Startup Says It Can Clean Your Blood of Microplastics
This is a non-exhaustive list of places microplastics have been found: Mount Everest, the Mariana Trench, Antarctic snow, clouds, plankton, turtles, whales, cattle, birds, tap water, beer, salt, human placentas, semen, breast milk, feces, testicles, [...]
New Blood Test Detects Alzheimer’s and Tracks Its Progression With 92% Accuracy
The new test could help identify which patients are most likely to benefit from new Alzheimer’s drugs. A newly developed blood test for Alzheimer’s disease not only helps confirm the presence of the condition but also [...]
The CDC buried a measles forecast that stressed the need for vaccinations
This story was originally published on ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. ProPublica — Leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [...]
Light-Driven Plasmonic Microrobots for Nanoparticle Manipulation
A recent study published in Nature Communications presents a new microrobotic platform designed to improve the precision and versatility of nanoparticle manipulation using light. Led by Jin Qin and colleagues, the research addresses limitations in traditional [...]
Cancer’s “Master Switch” Blocked for Good in Landmark Study
Researchers discovered peptides that permanently block a key cancer protein once thought untreatable, using a new screening method to test their effectiveness inside cells. For the first time, scientists have identified promising drug candidates [...]
AI self-cloning claims: A new frontier or a looming threat?
Chinese scientists claim that some AI models can replicate themselves and protect against shutdown. Has artificial intelligence crossed the so-called red line? Chinese researchers have published two reports on arXiv claiming that some artificial [...]
New Drug Turns Human Blood Into Mosquito-Killing Weapon
Nitisinone, a drug for rare diseases, kills mosquitoes when present in human blood and may become a new tool to fight malaria, offering longer-lasting, environmentally safer effects than ivermectin. Controlling mosquito populations is a [...]
DNA Microscopy Creates 3D Maps of Life From the Inside Out
What if you could take a picture of every gene inside a living organism—not with light, but with DNA itself? Scientists at the University of Chicago have pioneered a revolutionary imaging technique called volumetric DNA microscopy. It builds [...]
Scientists Just Captured the Stunning Process That Shapes Chromosomes
Scientists at EMBL have captured how human chromosomes fold into their signature rod shape during cell division, using a groundbreaking method called LoopTrace. By observing overlapping DNA loops forming in high resolution, they revealed that large [...]
Bird Flu Virus Is Mutating Fast – Scientists Say Our Vaccines May Not Be Enough
H5N1 influenza is evolving rapidly, weakening the effectiveness of existing antibodies and increasing its potential threat to humans. Scientists at UNC Charlotte and MIT used high-performance computational modeling to analyze thousands of viral protein-antibody interactions, revealing [...]
Revolutionary Cancer Vaccine Targets All Solid Tumors
The method triggers immune responses that inhibit melanoma, triple-negative breast cancer, lung carcinoma, and ovarian cancer. Cancer treatment vaccines have been in development since 2010, when the first was approved for prostate cancer, followed [...]
Scientists Uncover Hidden Protein Driving Autoimmune Attacks
Scientists have uncovered a critical piece of the puzzle in autoimmune diseases: a protein that helps release immune response molecules. By studying an ultra-rare condition, researchers identified ArfGAP2 as a key player in immune [...]
Mediterranean neutrino observatory sets new limits on quantum gravity
Quantum gravity is the missing link between general relativity and quantum mechanics, the yet-to-be-discovered key to a unified theory capable of explaining both the infinitely large and the infinitely small. The solution to this [...]
Challenging Previous Beliefs: Japanese Scientists Discover Hidden Protector of Heart
A Japanese research team found that the oxidized form of glutathione (GSSG) may protect heart tissue by modifying a key protein, potentially offering a novel therapeutic approach for ischemic heart failure. A new study [...]
Millions May Have Long COVID – So Why Can’t They Get Diagnosed?
Millions of people in England may be living with Long Covid without even realizing it. A large-scale analysis found that nearly 10% suspect they might have the condition but remain uncertain, often due to [...]
Researchers Reveal What Happens to Your Brain When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep
What if poor sleep was doing more than just making you tired? Researchers have discovered that disrupted sleep in older adults interferes with the brain’s ability to clean out waste, leading to memory problems [...]
