Fabrication of an ultrasensitive electrochemical immunosensor coupled with biofunctionalized zero-dimensional graphene quantum dots for rapid detection of cephalexin

The unregulated usage of Cephalexin (CFX) in animal source food products has led to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans. Graphene quantum dots (GQD) are zero-dimensional nanomaterials possessing both unique optical and electrical propertiesbased on their tuneable size that serves as an excellent signal enhancer. The fluorescence quenching and conductive properties of GQD were exploited for the detection of CFX. In this study, a zero-length conjugation approach was utilized to develop Cephalexin-Bovine Serum Albumin (CFX-BSA) conjugate and used to develop antibodies (Ab). Conjugated CFX-BSA Abs with GQD enhanced the electrochemical response of the sensor for sensitive detection of CFX. The fabricated electrode was optimised by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). The limit of detection for CFX was found to be 0.53 fM in standard buffer with negligible cross-reactivity against other β-lactam antibiotics. The biofunctionalized electrode based on GQD-antibody may potentially be miniaturised for on-site detection of other antibiotics in food samples.