Simple dual-readout immunosensor based on phosphate-triggered and potassium permanganate for visual detection of fenitrothion

Multicolor-based visual immunosensor is a promising tool for rapid analysis without the use of bulky instruments. Herein, an anti-fenitrothion nanobody-alkaline phosphatase fusion protein (VHHjd8-ALP) was employed to develop a multicolor visual immunosensor (MVIS) and a ratiometric fluorescence MVIS (RFMVIS, respectively). After one-step competitive immunoassay, the VHHjd8-ALP bound to microplate catalyzed phenyl phosphate disodium salt (ArP) into phenol. Under high alkaline condition (pH 12), the phenol reduced KMnO4 to intermediate (K2MnO4) and further to MnO2 in alkaline condition (pH 12), accompanied by a visible color transition of purple-green-yellow, which can be used for semiquantitative visual analysis or qualitative detection by measuring RGB value. RFMVIS was proposed on the basis of MVIS to further improve sensitivity. The CdTe quantum dot and fluorescein were used as signal probes to develop the fluorescent immunosensor. The CdTe dots with red emission (644 nm) was quenched by oxidation of KMnO4, whereas the fluorescein with green emission (520 nm) remained constant, accompanied by a fluorescent color transition of green-yellow-red. By measuring the ratio of the fluorescence intensity (I644/I520), the ratiometric fluorescence immunosensor was developed for qualitative analysis. The two visual immunosensors were sensitive and simple, and they showed good accuracy and practicability in the recovery test, thus are ideal tools for rapid screening.