A Paper-Based Colorimetric Aptasensor for the Detection of Gentamicin

Antibiotics are classes of antimicrobial substances that are administered widely in the field of veterinary science to promote animal health and feed efficiency. Cattle-administered antibiotics hold a risk of passing active residues to milk, during the milking process. This becomes a public health concern as these residues can cause severe allergic reactions to sensitive groups and considerable economic losses to the farmer. Hence, to ensure that the produced milk is safe to consume and adheres to permissible limits, an on-farm quick and reliable test is essential. This study illustrates the design and development of a microfluidic paper biosensor as a proof-of-concept detection system for gentamicin in milk. Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties of gold nanoparticles have been explored to provide the user a visual feedback on the test, which was also corroborated by RGB analysis performed using Image J. The assay involves the use of a short stretch of single stranded DNA, called aptamer, which is very specific to the gentamicin present in the milk sample. The camera-based LOD for the fabricated paper device for milk samples spiked with gentamicin was calculated to be 300 nM, with a reaction time of 2 min.