Carbon dots and graphene oxide based FRET immunosensor for sensitive detection of Helicobacter pylori

Recent Progress in Nanomaterial-Based Fluorescence Assays for the Detection of Food-Borne Pathogens

Food safety is of great concern, and food-borne bacterial infections and diseases are a major crisis for health. Therefore, it is necessary to develop rapid detection techniques for the prevention and recognition of food safety hazards caused by food-borne pathogens. In recent years, the fluorescence assay has become a widely utilized detection method due to its good signal amplification effect, high detection sensitivity, high stability, and short detection time. In this review, the different kinds of fluorescence materials were concentrated, including quantum dots (QDs), carbon dots (CDs), metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). The optical properties and applications of different kinds of fluorescent materials were analyzed and compared. Furthermore, according to the biosensing components, different fluorescence biosensors are reviewed, including label-free based fluorescence probes, aptamer-based biosensors, and antibody-based biosensors. Finally, we focused our attention on the discussion of fluorescent detection techniques combined with other techniques and their applications. The review presents future trends in fluorescence sensors, providing new sights for the detection of food-borne pathogens.

Exploring the landscape of FRET-based molecular sensors: Design strategies and recent advances in emerging applications

Probing biological processes in living organisms that could provide one-of-a-kind insights into real-time alterations of significant physiological parameters is a formidable task that calls for specialized analytic devices. Classical biochemical methods have significantly aided our understanding of the mechanisms that regulate essential biological processes. These methods, however, are typically insufficient for investigating transient molecular events since they focus primarily on the end outcome. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy is a potent tool used for exploring non-invasively real-time dynamic interactions between proteins and a variety of biochemical signaling events using sensors that have been meticulously constructed. Due to their versatility, FRET-based sensors have enabled the rapid and standardized assessment of a large array of biological variables, facilitating both high-throughput research and precise subcellular measurements with exceptional temporal and spatial resolution. This review commences with a brief introduction to FRET theory and a discussion of the fluorescent molecules that can serve as tags in different sensing modalities for studies in chemical biology, followed by an outlining of the imaging techniques currently utilized to quantify FRET highlighting their strengths and shortcomings. The article also discusses the various donor-acceptor combinations that can be utilized to construct FRET scaffolds. Specifically, the review provides insights into the latest real-time bioimaging applications of FRET-based sensors and discusses the common architectures of such devices. There has also been discussion of FRET systems with multiplexing capabilities and multi-step FRET protocols for use in dual/multi-analyte detections. Future research directions in this exciting field are also mentioned, along with the obstacles and opportunities that lie ahead.

Active Quantum Biomaterials-Enhanced Microrobots for Food Safety

Timely disruptive tools for the detection of pathogens in foods are needed to face global health and economic challenges. Herein, the utilization of quantum biomaterials-enhanced microrobots (QBEMRs) as autonomous mobile sensors designed for the precise detection of endotoxins originating from Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) as an indicator species for food-borne contamination globally is presented. A fluorescent molecule-labeled affinity peptide functions as a specific probe, is quenched upon binding to the surface of QBEMRs. Owing to its selective affinity for endotoxin, in the presence of S. enterica the fluorescence is restored and easy to observe and quantifies optical color change to indicate the presence of Salmonella. The devised approach is designed to achieve highly sensitive detection of the S. enterica serovar Typhimurium endotoxin with exquisite selectivity through the utilization of QBEMRs. Notably, no fluorescence signal is observed in the presence of endotoxins bearing similar structural characteristics, highlighting the selectivity of the approach during food sample analysis. Technically, the strategy is implemented in microplate readers to extend microrobots-based approaches to the routine laboratory. This new platform can provide fast and anticipated results in food safety.

Carbon dots for pathogen detection and imaging: recent breakthroughs and future trends

As a class of carbon-based nanomaterials, carbon dots (CDs) have gained a lot of interest for a variety of applications. They offer distinctive optical, chemical, and structural characteristics along with favourable attributes such as low cost, availability of abundant functional groups, remarkable chemical inertness, high stability, exceptional biocompatibility, and ecofriendliness. This review discusses synthesis methods, structural characteristics, and surface modifications of CDs, specific for pathogen detection. Furthermore, it delves into the mechanisms that govern the interaction between pathogens and CDs. In addition, the study explores the use of CDs in a number of detection modalities, such as optical, electrochemical, and electrochemiluminescence, emphasising real-time pathogen monitoring. Moreover, both the challenges and opportunities related to the application of CDs-based detection and imaging methods are highlighted in field and clinical contexts.

Carbon dots-based fluorescent probe for detection of foodborne pathogens and its potential with microfluidics

Concern about food safety triggers demand on rapid, accurate and on-site detection of foodborne pathogens. Among various fluorescent probes for detection, carbon dots (CDs) prepared by carbonization of carbon-rich raw materials show extraordinary performance for their excellent and tailorable photoluminescence property, as well as their facilely gained specificity by surface customization and modification. CDs-based fluorescent probes play a crucial role in many pathogenic bacteria sensing systems. In addition, microfluidic technology with characteristics of portability and functional integration is expected to combine with CDs-based fluorescent probes for point-of-care testing (POCT), which can further enhance the detection property of CDs-based fluorescent probes. Here, this paper reviews CDs-based bacterial detection methods and systems, including the structural modulation of fluorescent probes and pathogenic bacteria detection mechanisms, and describes the potential of combining CDs with microfluidic technology, providing reference for the development of novel rapid detection technology for pathogenic bacteria in food.

Carbon dots and covalent organic frameworks based FRET immunosensor for sensitive detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7

The combination of carbon dots (CDs) with covalent organic frameworks (COFs) was used to design an innovative sensor based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) for the detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7) in food samples. Carbon dots were used as fluorescence donors, covalent organic frameworks as fluorescence acceptors. The antibody (Ab) specific to E. coli O157:H7 was used to form a CD-Ab-COF immunosensor by linking CDs and COFs. The antibody was specifically bound with E. coli O157:H7, which caused the connection between CDs and COFs to be interrupted, and the carbon dots exhibited fluorescence restoration. The sensor exhibited a linear detection range spanning from 0 to 106 CFU/mL, with the limit of detection (LOD) of 7 CFU/mL. The analytical performance of the developed immunosensor was evaluated using spiked food samples with different concentrations of E. coli O157:H7, validating the capability of assessing risks in food testing.

Detection of H. pylori outer membrane protein (HopQ) biomarker using electrochemical impedimetric immunosensor with polypyrrole nanotubes and carbon nanotubes nanocomposite on screen-printed carbon electrode

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is classified as a class I carcinogen that colonizes the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The detection at low concentrations is crucial in combatting H. pylori. HopQ protein is located on H. pylori's outer membrane and is expressed at an early stage of contamination, which signifies it as an ideal biomarker. In this study, we presented the development of an electrochemical impedimetric immunosensor for the ultra-sensitive detection of HopQ at low concentrations. The sensor employed polypyrrole nanotubes (PPy-NTs) and carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-COOH) nanocomposite. PPy-NTs were chosen for their excellent conductivity, biocompatibility, and redox capabilities, simplifying sample preparation by eliminating the need to add redox probes upon measurement. MWCNT-COOH provided covalent binding sites for HopQ antibodies (HopQ-Ab) on the biosensor surface. Characterization of the biosensor was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), contact angle measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), complemented by numerical semiempirical quantum calculations. The results demonstrated a dynamic linear range of 5 pg/mL to 1.063 ng/mL and an excellent selectivity, with the possibility of excluding interference using EIS data, specifically charge transfer resistance and double-layer capacitance as multivariants for the calibration curve. Using two EIS components, the limit of detection is calculated to be 2.06 pg/mL. The biosensor was tested with a spiked drinking water sample and showed a signal recovery of 105.5% when detecting 300 pg/mL of HopQ. This novel H. pylori biosensor offers reliable, simple, portable, and rapid screening of the bacteria.

Ganoderma lucidum bran-derived blue-emissive and green-emissive carbon dots for detection of copper ions

Ganoderma lucidum bran (GB) has a broad application prospect in the preparation of activated carbon, livestock feed, and biogas, but the preparation of carbon dots (CDs) from GB has never been reported. In this work, GB was applied as a carbon source and nitrogen source to prepare both blue fluorescent CDs (BCDs) and green fluorescent CDs (GCDs). The former were prepared at 160 °C for 4 h by a hydrothermal approach, while the latter were acquired at 25 °C for 24 h by chemical oxidation. Two kinds of as-synthesized CDs exhibited unique excitation-dependent fluorescence behavior and high fluorescent chemical stability. Based on the fantastic optical behavior of the CDs, they were utilized as probes for fluorescent determination of copper ions (Cu²⁺). In the range of 1-10 μmol L^-1, the fluorescent intensity of BCDs and GCDs decreased linearly with the increase of Cu²⁺ concentration; the linear correlation coefficient reached 0.9951 and 0.9982, and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.74 and 1.08 μmol L^-1, respectively. In addition, these CDs remained stable in 0.001-0.1 mmol L^-1 salt solutions; BCDs were more stable in the neutral pH range, but GCDs were more stable in neutral to alkaline conditions. The CDs prepared from GB are not only simple and low-cost, but also can realize the comprehensive utilization of biomass.

Simultaneous fluorescence sensing of vitamin B2 and sulfur ions based on fluorescent copper nanoparticles

In this study, the F-CuNPs were synthesized by a modified liquid-phase chemical reduction method. Throughout the preparation process, anhydrous copper sulfate was used as the copper source, and ascorbic acid in the NaOH solution served as the reducing and protective agent. Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) may exist between F-CuNPs and vitamin B2 due to the large spectral overlap between the fluorescence emission spectra of F-CuNPs and the UV-vis absorption spectra of vitamin B2. Therefore, the detection of vitamin B2 was designed based on a FRET system between F-CuNPs and vitamin B2. With S^2- into the F-CuNPs&VB2 system, the fluorescence intensity of vitamin B2 was quenched, while the fluorescence intensity of F-CuNPs was almost unchanged. There may be a specific reaction between S^2- and vitamin B2. Therefore, the research system can be further used to detect S^2- based on ratiometric fluorescent probe. The research findings show that the linear range of vitamin B2 was 0.51 nM-34.64 nM with a detection limit of 0.25 nM (S/N = 3), the linear range of S^2- was 0.64 μM-60.00 μM with a detection limit of 0.32 μM (S/N = 3). Furthermore, the simultaneous fluorescent sensing system has high sensitivity and selectivity. Therefore, this system was designed and successfully used to detect the content of vitamin B2 and S^2- in actual samples to find a new effective method to detect analytes.

FRET Based Biosensor: Principle Applications Recent Advances and Challenges

Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based biosensors are being fabricated for specific detection of biomolecules or changes in the microenvironment. FRET is a non-radiative transfer of energy from an excited donor fluorophore molecule to a nearby acceptor fluorophore molecule. In a FRET-based biosensor, the donor and acceptor molecules are typically fluorescent proteins or fluorescent nanomaterials such as quantum dots (QDs) or small molecules that are engineered to be in close proximity to each other. When the biomolecule of interest is present, it can cause a change in the distance between the donor and acceptor, leading to a change in the efficiency of FRET and a corresponding change in the fluorescence intensity of the acceptor. This change in fluorescence can be used to detect and quantify the biomolecule of interest. FRET-based biosensors have a wide range of applications, including in the fields of biochemistry, cell biology, and drug discovery. This review article provides a substantial approach on the FRET-based biosensor, principle, applications such as point-of-need diagnosis, wearable, single molecular FRET (smFRET), hard water, ions, pH, tissue-based sensors, immunosensors, and aptasensor. Recent advances such as artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) are used for this type of sensor and challenges.

Advances and prospects of carbon dots for microplastic analysis

Microplastics have become the world's most emerging pollutants today due to the ubiquitous use of plastics in everyday life and their ability to migrate from micro to nanoscale to every corner of the natural world, leading to ecological imbalances and global catastrophes. However, a standardized method for separating and analyzing microplastics from actual food or environmental samples has not been established. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a simple, fast, cost-effective, and accurate method that can accurately measure the degree of contamination of microplastics. As one of these methods, fluorometry has been proposed as a cost-effective method to detect, quantify and differentiate individual plastic particles. Therefore, this review discussed the technique for analyzing microplastics using fluorescent carbon dots (CDs). This review provided an overview of the impact of microplastics and the feasibility of using CDs to detect and analyze microplastics. In particular, this review will discuss novel microplastic analysis methods using CD and future application studies. The method using CDs will overcome the limitations of current microplastic analysis technology and may become a new method for detecting and analyzing microplastics.

Molecular Targets for Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria Detection

The detection of foodborne pathogenic bacteria currently relies on their ability to grow on chemically defined liquid and solid media, which is the essence of the classical microbiological approach. Such procedures are time-consuming and the quality of the result is affected by the selectivity of the media employed. Several alternative strategies based on the detection of molecular markers have been proposed. These markers may be cell constituents, may reside on the cell envelope or may be specific metabolites. Each marker provides specific advantages and, at the same time, suffers from specific limitations. The food matrix and chemical composition, as well as the accompanying microbiota, may also severely compromise detection. The aim of the present review article is to present and critically discuss all available information regarding the molecular targets that have been employed as markers for the detection of foodborne pathogens. Their strengths and limitations, as well as the proposed alleviation strategies, are presented, with particular emphasis on their applicability in real food systems and the challenges that are yet to be effectively addressed.

Research Progress in the Synthesis of Carbon Dots and Their Application in Food Analysis

Food safety is connected to public health, making it crucial to protecting people's health. Food analysis and detection can assure food quality and effectively reduce the entry of harmful foods into the market. Carbon dots (CDs) are an excellent choice for food analysis and detection attributable to their advantages of good optical properties, water solubility, high chemical stability, easy functionalization, excellent bleaching resistance, low toxicity, and good biocompatibility. This paper focuses on the optical properties, synthesis methods, and applications of CDs in food analysis and detection, including the recent advances in food nutritional composition analysis and food quality detection, such as food additives, heavy metal ions, foodborne pathogens, harmful organic pollutants, and pH value. Moreover, this review also discusses the potentially toxic effects, current challenges, and prospects of CDs in basic research and applications. We hope that this review can provide valuable information to lay a foundation for subsequent research on CDs and promote the exploration of CDs-based sensing for future food detection.

Carbon Dots Conjugated Antibody as an Effective FRET-Based Biosensor for Progesterone Hormone Screening

In this work, carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method using citric acid and ethylene diamine, and covalently functionalized with antibodies for the sensing of progesterone hormone. The structural and morphological analysis reveals that the synthesized CDs are of average size (diameter 8-10 nm) and the surface functionalities are confirmed by XPS, XRD and FT-IR. Further graphene oxide (GO) is used as a quencher due to the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism, whereas the presence of the analyte progesterone turns on the fluorescence because of displacement of GO from the surface of CDs effectively inhibiting FRET efficiency due to the increased distance between donor and acceptor moieties. The linear curve is obtained with different progesterone concentrations with 13.8 nM detection limits (R2 = 0.974). The proposed optical method demonstrated high selectivity performance in the presence of structurally resembling interfering compounds. The PL intensity increased linearly with the increased progesterone concentration range (10-900 nM) under the optimal experimental parameters. The developed level-free immunosensor has emerged as a potential platform for simplified progesterone analysis due to the high selectivity performance and good recovery in different samples of spiked water.