Development of CNF/AuNPs/SPE-based label-free electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of aflatoxin B1 in wheat flourDimple Chauhan, Shagun Gupta, Sangeet Rana, Deepali Chaudhary, Surbhi Sharma, Usha Dahiya, Sonali Khanal, Ankur Kaushal, and Dinesh Kumar School of Bioengineering and Food Technology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management, Solan, India
E-mail: ankur.biotech85@gmail.com Received: 19 September 2025 Accepted: 28 February 2026 Abstract: This study presents a potential methodology for rapid detection of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in wheat flour utilizing a label-free-point-of-care immunosensor method. The immunosensor was fabricated by immobilizing anti-AFB1 antibody onto a CNF/AuNPs surface of a screen-printed electrode using the EDC: NHS cross-linking chemistry. The sensor’s electrochemical response was characterized across a range of antigen concentrations using response was eventually determined, followed by hybridization at various antigen concentrations using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Potassium ferricyanide {K3[Fe(CN)6])3}(5 mM in PBS buffer, pH 7.2) was used as the electrochemical redox probe. The electrode surface at each fabrication stage was characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The sensitivity and limit of detection (LOD) of the immunosensor were evaluated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), DPV, and CV. The immunosensor detected AFB1 electrochemically, exhibiting a sensitivity of 42.313 mA/cm2/ng and a detection limit of 0.3 pg/µl. It enabled accurate quantification of AFB1 in wheat flour samples and demonstrated excellent stability, specificity, and reproducibility. Keywords: Immunosensor; Antibody; Aflatoxin B1; Voltammetry; Toxicity Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com. DOI: 10.1007/s11696-026-04777-7
Chemical Papers 80 (6) 6467–6476 (2026) |
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