Valerio Beni Development of an electrochemical aptasensor for fluorquinolones and kanamycin

Aims of the STSM action: Rapid and in-the-field detection of antibiotics is one of the major concerns of modern environmental analysis. In the contest of environmental analysis electrochemical sensors are very attractive due to their low cost, to the fact that they can be easily miniaturised, they are not affected by the turbidity of the sample and they are easy to use. The use of aptamers as biological receptors has opened new opportunities in the area of biosensors. The aim of the proposed visit was to explore the possibility of integrating the aptamers, developed at the UFZ, against fluorquinolone (Ofloxacin) with electrochemical transduction toward the development of an electrochemical biosensor. The above described aim was pursued by exploring, in first instance, the possibility of (i) converting under development fluorescence assays into electrochemical/colorimetric ones and by (ii) investigating, using surface plasmon resonance, the release mechanism of the aptamers when immobilised onto Au surfaces.