Carbon nanotubes based optical immunodetection of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB) in food

• Published in: International journal of food microbiology 2008-09, Vol.127 (1), p.78-83
• Main Authors: Yang, Minghui, Kostov, Yordan, Rasooly, Avraham
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: antibody detection; Antigens, Bacterial - immunology; Antigens, Bacterial - isolation & purification; antiporters; Area Under Curve; bacterial contamination; biodetection; Biological and medical sciences; Biosensing Techniques - instrumentation; Biosensing Techniques - methods; Biosensing Techniques - standards; biosensors; carbon; Carbon nanotubes; Consumer Product Safety; ELISA; enterotoxins; Enterotoxins - immunology; Enterotoxins - isolation & purification; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - instrumentation; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - methods; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - standards; Fluorescence; Food Analysis - methods; Food Contamination - analysis; Food industries; Food Microbiology; food pathogens; Food safety; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Hygiene and safety; immunoassays; immunosensor; microbial detection; nanotechnology; Nanotubes, Carbon; Sensitivity and Specificity; Staphylococcal enterotoxins; Staphylococcal Food Poisoning - diagnosis; Staphylococcal Food Poisoning - prevention & control; staphylococcal intoxication; Time Factors; toxigenic strains
• ISSN: 0168-1605; 1879-3460
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2008.06.012

Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) are a major cause of food-borne diseases, traditionally SEs assayed immunologically with ELISA. Carbon nanotubes' (CNT) unique mechanical and electronic properties combined with a large specific surface area make them attractive for biosensing. To investigate whether CNT could improve the sensitivity of ELISA assays, we developed an optical CNT immunosensor for the detection of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB) in food. Anti-SEB antibodies were immobilized onto a CNT surface through electrostatic adsorption and then the antibody–nanotube mixture was bound onto a polycarbonate film. SEB was then detected by a “sandwich-type” ELISA assay on the polycarbonate film. The use of CNT increased the sensitivity of the immunosensor by at least 6-fold, lowering the detection limit of SEB. The CNT immunosensor was also able to detect SEB various foods, suggesting the utility of CNT for this and other optical-based immunological detection methods.