Detecting penicillin G in milk with impedimetric label-free immunosensor

A label-free impedimetric flow injection immunosensor for the direct detection of penicillin G has been developed. Anti-penicillin G was immobilized on a gold working electrode modified with a self-assembled monolayer of thioctic acid. Real time monitoring of impedance was carried out at the optimum frequency of 160 Hz. Under optimum operating conditions the system provided a wide linear range between 1.0 × 10−13 and 1.0 × 10−8 M with a very low detection limit of 3.0 × 10−15 M, much lower than the MRL of penicillin G in milk (1.2 × 10−8 M). The immobilized anti-penicillin G on self-assembled thioctic acid monolayer gold electrode was very stable and provided good reproducible signal after regeneration up to 45 times with a relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) lower than 4%. Good recoveries and precisions were obtained when spiked raw milk samples were analyzed.