Development of an electrochemical Limulus amebocyte lysate assay technique for portable and highly sensitive endotoxin sensor

Innate Immun. 2012 Apr;18(2):343-9. doi: 10.1177/1753425911410337. Epub 2011 Aug 15.

Abstract

Here, we report the development of an electrochemical detection method for endotoxin based on the Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. A mixture of LAL reagent and endotoxin sample solution was incubated for 1 h. The endotoxin activated a cascade reaction of zymogens contained in the LAL to generate p-nitroaniline (pNA) which was then electrochemically detected by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The generated pNA gave a clear peak at -0.75 V vs. silver/silver chloride (Ag/AgCl), which increased with the concentration of endotoxin in the LAL assay solution. This DPV detection was performed using an electrode chip device fabricated from a diamond-like carbon-coated glass substrate. This chip device could detect as low as 10 endotoxin units l(-1) at room temperature within 1 h. This novel electrochemical method for the detection of endotoxin appears promising for the development of compact, low-cost and easy-to-use sensors for on-site monitoring of potentially contaminated medical supplies, including dialysis fluid, transplanted tissue and culture medium for assisted reproduction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Aniline Compounds / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Arthropod Proteins / metabolism
  • Biosensing Techniques*
  • Electrochemistry
  • Electrodes
  • Endotoxins / analysis*
  • Enzyme Precursors / metabolism
  • Equipment Design
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Lab-On-A-Chip Devices
  • Limulus Test / instrumentation*
  • Limulus Test / methods*
  • Oligopeptides / chemistry
  • Oxygen / blood
  • Serine Endopeptidases / metabolism
  • Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Silver Compounds / chemistry

Substances

  • Aniline Compounds
  • Arthropod Proteins
  • Endotoxins
  • Enzyme Precursors
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Oligopeptides
  • Silver Compounds
  • 4-nitroaniline
  • butyloxycarbonyl-leucyl-glycyl-arginine-4-nitroanilide
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • Limulus clotting factor C
  • silver chloride
  • Oxygen