Screening-Capture-Integrated Electrochemiluminescent Aptasensor Based on Mesoporous Silica Nanochannels for the Ultrasensitive Detection of Deoxynivalenol in Wheat

Toprevent the contamination of cereals by mycotoxins,establishinga sensitive and rapid method for the detection of mycotoxins is essential.In this study, a screening-capture-integrated electrochemiluminescence(ECL) aptasensor based on mesoporous silica films (MSFs) was successfullyprepared for the ultrasensitive and highly selective detection ofdeoxynivalenol (DON) in wheat. The narrow nanochannels of MSFs canrealize size screening, thereby eliminating the influence of macromolecularsubstances and providing a pure environment for the signal probe (tris(2,2 & PRIME;-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)(Ru(bpy)(3) (2+))) to reach the indium tin oxide(ITO) conductive substrate, which significantly improves the anti-interferenceability of the screening-capture-integrated ECL sensor. The aptamer(Apt) attached to the surface of the MSFs can specifically captureDON, and the resulting DON-Apt complex has a gated effect on the MSFs,triggering the inhibition of Ru(bpy)(3) (2+) in theelectrolyte from reaching the ITO surface. Therefore, the ECL intensityof the sensor decreased with increasing DON concentration to achievea quantitative detection of DON. Under optimized conditions, the linearrange of the screening-capture-integrated ECL aptasensor was 0.001-200 & mu;g/kg, and the detection limit was as low as 5.27 x 10(-5) & mu;g/kg (S/N = 3). In conclusion, this studydeveloped a screening-capture-integrated ECL aptasensor that combinessize screening and specific capture for the detection of DON in wheat,providing a new approach for the early detection of wheat mildew.

Automated summary

To prevent contamination of cereals by mycotoxins, a sensitive and rapid method for mycotoxin detection is essential. In this study, a screening-capture-integrated electrochemiluminescence (ECL) aptasensor based on mesoporous silica films (MSFs) was developed for the ultrasensitive and highly selective detection of deoxynivalenol (DON) in wheat. The sensor combines size screening and specific capture to achieve quantitative detection of DON, providing a new approach for early detection of wheat mildew.