Rapid quantitative detection of Brucella melitensis by a label-free impedance immunosensor based on a gold nanoparticle-modified screen-printed carbon electrode

Sensors (Basel). 2013 Jul 4;13(7):8551-63. doi: 10.3390/s130708551.

Abstract

A rapid and simple method for quantitative monitoring of Brucella melitensis using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is reported for the first time. The label-free immunosensors were fabricated by immobilizing Brucella melitensis antibody on the surface of gold nanoparticle-modified screen-printed carbon electrodes (GNP-SPCEs). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and EIS were used to characterize the Brucella melitensis antigen interaction on the surface of GNP-SPCEs with antibody. A general electronic equivalent model of an electrochemical cell was introduced for interpretation of the impedance components of the system. The results showed that the change in electron-transfer resistance (Rct) was significantly different due to the binding of Brucella melitensis cells. A linear relationship between the Rct variation and logarithmic value of the cell concentration was found from 4 × 10(4) to 4 × 10(6) CFU/mL in pure culture. The label-free impedance biosensor was able to detect as low as 1 × 10(4) and 4 × 10(5) CFU/mL of Brucella melitensis in pure culture and milk samples, respectively, in less than 1.5 h. Moreover, a good selectivity versus Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus cells was obtained for our developed immunosensor demonstrating its specificity towards only Brucella melitensis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Immobilized / chemistry
  • Antibodies, Immobilized / metabolism*
  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods
  • Brucella melitensis / immunology
  • Brucella melitensis / isolation & purification*
  • Brucella melitensis / metabolism
  • Carbon / chemistry
  • Colony Count, Microbial / instrumentation
  • Colony Count, Microbial / methods
  • Electrodes
  • Gold / chemistry*
  • Immunoassay / instrumentation*
  • Immunoassay / methods
  • Limit of Detection
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Milk / microbiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Immobilized
  • Carbon
  • Gold