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. 2022 Oct 19:10:996358.
doi: 10.3389/fchem.2022.996358. eCollection 2022.

An ultrasensitive detection platform for cocaine: Aptasensing strategy in capillary tube

Javad Zamanian  1   2   3 , Zahra Khoshbin  1   2   3 , Hossein Hosseinzadeh  1   4 , Noor Mohammd Danesh  2   5 , Ali Khakshour Abdolabadi  2 , Khalil Abnous  1   2 , Seyed Mohammad Taghdisi  3   6
Affiliations

An ultrasensitive detection platform for cocaine: Aptasensing strategy in capillary tube

Javad Zamanian et al. Front Chem. .

Abstract

Cocaine as a detrimental addictive drug threats human health through inducing heart problem, blood pressure, anxiety, immunodeficiency, paranoia, and organ damage. Thus, the quantification of cocaine in the biological samples by a simple, high specificity, and fast method is highly urgent to decrease the harmful effect of the misuse of this drug. In this study, we constructed a novel fluorescent aptasensor by combining the fluorescein (FAM)-modified specific aptamer and AuNPs in a capillary tube as the sensing substrate for the first time. The presence of cocaine recovered the fluorescence response of the aptasensor through interaction with the aptamer and differentiation of the aptamer@AuNPs complex. By fluorescence microscopy imaging of the aptasensor substrate and its quantitative analysis, a remarkable linear range from 100 pM to 600 µM and the ultra-low limit of detection (LOD) as 0.31 pM were achieved for the target detection. Cocaine was successfully quantified in the real samples (human serum and urine) by using the aptasensor. The aptasensor is simple, easy-to-use, favorable applicability, and cost-effective; and to the best of our knowledge, it is the first use of the capillary tube as a sensing platform just by using about 3 μl of the samples. It is also an easy-to-carry tool, promising for the on-site target detection. Besides, it can be a portable device for monitoring cocaine by using a handheld single-beam fluorescence microscope. It can be an appropriate detection tool in forensic science and medicine.

Keywords: aptamer; aptasensor; capillary tube; cocaine; fluorescence microscopy; on-site detection.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The schematic illustration of the designed aptasensor for the cocaine detection.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
The fluorescence images, corresponding mean brightness values, and surface plots of the aptasensor in the presence of the different concentrations of cocaine: (A) 100 pM; (B) 500 pM; (C) 10 nM; (D) 50 nM; (E) 250 nM; (F) 2 μM; (G) 4 μM; (H) 8 μM; (I) 50 μM; (J) 600 μM. Scale bar: 500 μm.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
The calibration curve of the mean brightness value and cocaine concentration based on the fluorescence response of the aptasensor. The error bars represent the average standard errors for three measurements.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
The fluorescence images, corresponding mean brightness values, and surface plots of the aptasensor in the presence of the different drugs: (A) diazepam; (B) lorazepam; (C) methadone; (D) morphine; (E) tramadol; (F) ibuprofen; (G) cocaine (the final concentration of each compound is 8 μM). Scale bar: 500 μm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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