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PathoSense: a rapid electroanalytical device platform for screening Salmonella in water samples

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Abstract

Salmonella contamination is a major global health challenge, causing significant foodborne illness. However, current detection methods face limitations in sensitivity and time, which mostly rely on the culture-based detection techniques. Hence, there is an immediate and critical need to enhance early detection, reduce the incidence and impact of Salmonella contamination resulting in outbreaks. In this work, we demonstrate a portable non-faradaic, electrochemical sensing platform capable of detecting Salmonella in potable water with an assay turnaround time of ~ 9 min. We evaluated the effectiveness of this sensing platform by studying two sensor configurations: one utilizing pure gold (Au) and the other incorporating a semiconductor namely a zinc oxide thin film coated on the surface of the gold (Au/ZnO). The inclusion of zinc oxide was intended to enhance the sensing capabilities of the system. Through comprehensive experimentation and analysis, the LoD (limit of detection) values for the Au sensor and Au/ZnO sensor were 0.9 and 0.6 CFU/mL, respectively. In addition to sensitivity, we examined the sensing platform’s precision and reproducibility. Both the Au sensor and Au/ZnO sensor exhibited remarkable consistency, with inter-study percentage coefficient of variation (%CV) and intra-study %CV consistently below 10%. The proposed sensing platform exhibits high sensitivity in detecting low concentrations of Salmonella in potable water. Its successful development demonstrates its potential as a rapid and on-site detection tool, offering portability and ease of use. This research opens new avenues for electrochemical-based sensors in food safety and public health, mitigating Salmonella outbreaks and improving water quality monitoring.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA

    Kundan Kumar Mishra, Durgasha C. Poudyal & Shalini Prasad

  2. EnLiSense LLC, 1813 Audubon Pondway, Allen, TX, 75013, USA

    Vikram Narayanan Dhamu, Sriram Muthukumar & Shalini Prasad

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  1. Kundan Kumar Mishra
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  2. Vikram Narayanan Dhamu
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  3. Durgasha C. Poudyal
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Correspondence to Shalini Prasad.

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The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Drs. Shalini Prasad and Sriram Muthukumar have a significant interest in Enlisense LLC, a company that may have a commercial interest in the results of this research and technology. The potential individual conflict of interest has been reviewed and managed by The University of Texas at Dallas and played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report, or in the decision to submit the report for publication. Portable device and technology platform is a proprietary of EnLiSense LLC.

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Mishra, K.K., Dhamu, V.N., Poudyal, D.C. et al. PathoSense: a rapid electroanalytical device platform for screening Salmonella in water samples. Microchim Acta 191, 146 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-024-06232-4

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