A competitive bio-barcode immunoassay is described for the trace detection of parathion in water, pear, cabbage, and rice samples. It is based on amplification by platinum nanoparticle acting as a nanozyme. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were modified with (a) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against parathion, and (b) thiolated single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) oligonucleotides. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were functionalized with ovalbumin coupled with parathion hapten. Parathion and its hapten compete with mAbs on the surface of the AuNPs. Subsequently, the platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) probe, which was functionalized with the complementary thiolated ssDNA (C-ssDNA), was added to the reaction mixture for the detection of parathion. The signal was catalytically amplified by coupling with platinum nanozyme using teramethylbenzidine and H2O2 as the chromogenic system. The immunoassay has a linear range that extends from 0.01-50 μg·L-1, and the limit of detection is 2.0 × 10-3 μg·L-1. The recoveries and relative standard deviations (RSDs) ranged from 91.1-114.4% and 3.6-15.8%, respectively. The method correlates well with data obtained by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Graphical abstract The parathion and the magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) labelled with hapten-OVA competitively reacted to AuNPs modified with mAbs and thiolated DNA for the detection of parathion. The signal was catalyzed by platinum nanozyme. The limit of detection for parathion is 2.0 ng·L-1.
Keywords: Agro-products; AuNPs; Colorimetric detection; DNA; Magnetic nanoparticles; Nanomaterial; Pesticide; PtNPs.