Ultrasensitive SERS aptasensor for the detection of oxytetracycline based on a gold-enhanced nano-assembly

This paper investigated a new detection method of oxytetracycline (OTC) in aquatic products with ultrasensitive detection limit. The method was constructed on the basis of raman hot spot between gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) (13 nm and 80 nm diameter respectively) linked by an DNA sequence. The DNA sequence combined with the OTC aptamer including its complementary sequence as well as a stem-loop structure. The raman signal molecule (4-MBA) was modified at the surface of 13 nm AuNPs. After the exposure of OTC, the aptamer sequence was preferentially combined with OTC and partially dehybridized with its complementary sequence which led the 13 nm AuNPs to get more closer to the 80 nm AuNPs. The raman intensity was thus increased for the more enhanced hot spot generated. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the SERS signal was positively related to the OTC concentration with a wide working range of 4.60×10−2-4.60×102 fg/mL and the limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 4.35×10−3 fg/mL. The recovery rates of fishmeal ranged from 91.29-110.98%. The specificity of this method was further examined, and the results showed that the AuNPs based aptasensor was highly selective. This developed ultrasensitive aptamer-based SERS detection platform suggested that it may be a promising strategy for a variety of sensing applications.