Design and fabrication of biosensors for environmental and food safety monitoring

The availability of analytical, effective and rapid devices for monitoring environmental and agro-food contaminants is nowadays mandatory. The activities focused on the identification and characterization of reliable bioreceptors enabling the selective recognition of different classes of pesticides for construction of biosensors. In this context, deep structure/function/dynamics studies on the photosynthetic apparatus of genetically modified green algae were performed to select strains preserving activity and selectivity on solid state device. These bioreceptors have been integrated into different types of electrochemical transducers even functionalized with nanomaterials implementing their performance. These bioreceptors have also been used for the determination of the antioxidant capacity of astaxanthin, one of the most effective antioxidants available on the market. A label-free electrochemical immunosensor was also developed targeting the detection of ochratoxin A, a food-born mycotoxin with hepatotoxic, teratogenic, carcinogenic and immunosuppressive properties, with LOD in the nanomolar range. Furthermore, a portable and miniaturized multitransduction sensor prototype instrument was developed that implements the functions of a potentiostat-galvanostat with microfluidic measurements and management software that can also be used remotely. An electrochemical DNA-based sensor functionalized with alkyl thiolated silver nanoclusters is under construction for the selective detection of mercury in solution.