A bipolar Electrode-Electrochemiluminescence sensor for Salmonella typhimurium detection based on β-cyclodextrin Host-Guest recognition

Abstract

A bipolar electrode electrochemiluminescence (BPE-ECL) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) host–guest recognition was constructed for the rapid detection of Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium). Firstly, the sulfhydryl β-CD (SH-β-CD, with inner diameter size: 6.0–6.5 Å) was assembled on the gold-plated cathode of BPE. Ferrocene (Fc, length: 3.5 Å; width: 4.4 Å) labelled signal probe and parts Fc-aptamer complement each other to form a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). Due to its large size, the dsDNA with a double Fc (width > 8.8 Å) could not be embedded into the cavities of β-CD. In the presence of S. typhimurium, Fc-aptamer bond specifically to S. typhimurium, and the signal probe was shed from the dsDNA. Then, the signal probe (guest) was captured by the SH-β-CD (host) on the surface of the BPE. Due to the principle of spatial matching between Fc and SH-β-CD, a stable inclusion complex could be formed, which made Fc close to the cathode surface of the BPE. When a certain driving voltage was applied, Fc was oxidized to Fc+. The cathode surface of Fc+ would promote electron transfer, causing the [Ru(bpy)3]2+ at the anode emit light, and effectively convert the electrochemical signal into an ECL signal. 101-105 CFU mL−1S. typhimurium was positively correlated with Fc+ and ECL intensity, with a detection limit of 101 CFU mL−1. Therefore, S. typhimurium can be quantitatively detected by the electron transfer rate of the BPE.