Detection of aflatoxin B1 using a lateral flow aptasensor

Aflatoxin B1 ( AFB1) has been classified as the most significant human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO). It is frequently present in foodstuffs, particularly agricultural products such as peanuts and cereals, and therefore represents a significant health risk to humans and animals.

Currently, aptamer-based AFB1 biosensors, including fluorimetry, electrochemical analysis, colorimetry, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, are showing great promise for the detection of AFB1. However, those traditional aptamer-based AFB1 biosensors often require skilled personnel and the utilization of costly instrumentation. Herein, we report a lateral flow aptasensor for the sensitive and rapid detection of AFB1. The detection of AFB1 was achieved through the utilization of aptamer-specific and target-induced chain release methodologies. Colloidal gold was employed as a signal reporter, facilitating a naked eye colorimetric readout in which the signal was proportional to the concentration of AFB1. The quantitative detection of aflatoxin can be achieved by testing the intensity of test line and combining it with a colloidal gold analyzer. Under optimal conditions, the detection limit of this strategy was as low as 5 ng/mL, with a detection time of 10 minutes. The results demonstrated that lateral flow aptasensors are capable of rapid quantitative and sensitive detection of aflatoxin and have significant potential for the field analysis of other toxins.