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. 2022 Apr 7;12(18):10950–10988. doi: 10.1039/d1ra08311b

Recently reported AuNPs-based optical nanosensors for food safety (2015–now).

Target Nanomaterials Sensing principle LOD Linear range Real sample Ref.
Heavy metals
Hg2+ Aptamer-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 3.4 nM 5 nM to 10 μM Tap water 200
Hg2+ Aptamer-spherical AuNP FRET 60 nM 0.2–20 μM Tap water, milk 201
Hg2+ cDNA-spherical AuNP FRET 7.5 × 10−13 M 1.3 × 10−12 to 2.4 × 10−5 M Fish 145
Hg2+ ssDNA-spherical AuNP SERS (hot-spot formation) 0.45 pg mL−1 0.001–0.5 ng mL−1 Drinking water 117
Hg2+ DNAzyme contained ssDNA-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (anti-aggregation) 59.59 nM 0–1 nM Tap water 148
1–15 nM
Cr3+ 4-Amino hippuric acid (PAH)-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 1.17 μM 5.0–120 μM Liquid milk, milk power 202
Cd2+ 2,6-Dimecartopurine-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 32 nM 0.75–3.0 μM Milk, honey 203
Cu2+ Dipicolylamine-spherical AuNP SERS (change in ligand) 5 × 10−8 M 5 × 10−8 to 5 × 10−4 M White wine 120
Pb2+ Citrate-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 0.5 μM 0.5–100 μM Water 204
Pb2+ DNAzyme-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (anti-aggregation) 8.0 nM 0–500 nM Tap water 205
Pb2+ Maleic acid-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 0.5 μg L−1 (∼2.4 nM) 0.0–10.0 μg L−1 (∼0.0–48 nM) Breast milk 206
Pb2+ GSH-spherical AuNP LSPR (change in refractive index) 5 × 10−11 M 10−10 to 10−5 M Preserved egg 207
As3+ Citrate-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 1.8 ppb 4–100 ppb Drinking water 152
 
Pesticides
Phorate Hyaluronan-tyrosine-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (non-crosslinking) 0.005 μg mL−1 (∼0.006 mg kg−1) 0.001–10 μg mL−1 Tomato 155
Organophosphorus pesticides Spherical AuNP Colorimetric (AuNP growth) 0.7 ppb (∼2.4 nM) 25–65 ppb Tap water, apple washing solution 157
Dichlorvos Citrate-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) + enzyme inhibitor 0.0120 mg kg−1, 0.0224 mg kg−1, 0.0106 mg kg−1 0–1000 μg L−1 Pear, Chinese cabbage 208
Trichlorfon
Paraoxon
Triazophos Fluorophore-ssDNA-spherical AuNP FRET 0.007 μg L−1 0.01–20 μg L−1 Homogenized rice, wheat, cucumber, cabbage, apple 158
Parathion 0.009 μg L−1 0.05–50 μg L−1
Chlorpyrifos 0.089 μg L−1 0.5–1000 μg L−1
Parathio-methyl Spherical AuNP on sticky side of adhesive tape SERS 2.60 ng cm−2 — Vegetable, cucumber, orange, apple 161
Thiram 0.24 ng cm−2
Chlorpyrifos 3.51 ng cm−2
Parathio-methyl C14PDB-snowflake-like AuNP SERS (analyte binding) 0.026 ng cm−2 — Cucumber, apple, mango, green pepper, tomato peel 159
Triazophos 0.031 ng cm−2
Phosmet 0.032 ng cm−2 (apple peel)
Malathion Citrate-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (anti-aggregation) 11.8 nM 0.05–0.8 μM Tap water, apple juice, vegetable juice 209
Chlorsulfuron Acetamiprid-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (anti-aggregation) 0.025 mg L−1 0.1–100 mg L−1 Tap water 210
Thiram Citrate-spherical AuNP SERS 5 × 10−10 M 10−8 to 10−5 M Tap water, orange juice 114
Thiram Multi-branched Au nanostar SERS 10−10 M 0.24 ng cm−2 to 2 μg cm−2 Apple peel 112
0.24 ng cm−2 (apple peel)
Carbendazim Citrate-spherical AuNP SERS (analyte binding) 0.1 ppm — Oolong tea 160
Dimethoate Citrate-spherical AuNP FRET 0.004 ppm 0.005–1.0 ppm Water, fruit 211
 
Herbicides
Paraquat Citrate-spherical AuNP SERS (analyte binding) 0.1 μg mL−1 — Apple juice 212
Metsulfuron-methyl Melamine-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (anti-aggregation) 0.05 mg L−1 0.1–100 mg L−1 Tap water 125
 
Farm animal drugs
Ractopamine Aptamer-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 10 ng mL−1 10–400 ng mL−1 Beef 163
Ractopamine Spherical AuNP AuNP growth (aggregate or not) 0.35 ng mL−1 2–512 ng mL−1 Sheep urine 164
Kanamycin DNA-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 10 pM 20 pM to 5 nM Milk, honey 213
Chloramphenicol tetracycline Multifunctional aptamer-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 7.0 nM 0.05–1.8 μM Chicken, milk 132
32.9 nM 0.05–3.0 μM
Chloramphenicol Citrate-AuNP SERS 5.5 × 10−8 M 10−7to 10−5 M Beef, shrimp 114
Dopamine Aptamer-spherical AuNP FRET 2 nM 26–2.90 × 103 nM Swine feeds, chicken livers 91
 
Bacteria
E. coli Aptamer-spherical AuNP FRET 3 CFU mL−1 5–106 CFU mL−1 Tap/pond water, milk 187
Shigella flexneri Aptamer-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (non-crosslinking) 80 CFU mL−1 102–106 CFU mL−1 Salmon 191
E. coli 4-MPBA-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (anti-aggregation) — 104 to 107 CFU mL−1 Drinking water 192
S. pollorum
S. aureus
E. faecalis
S. mutants
S. aureus Vancomycin-spherical AuNP FRET 10 CFU mL−1 20 to 108 CFU mL−1 Milk, orange juice 195
S.aureus Teicoplainin-spherical AuNP FRET 2 CFU mL−1 10 to 5 × 108 CFU mL−1 Milk, orange juice 190
Vibrio parahaemolyticus Citrate-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (AuNP growth) 10 CFU mL−1 10–106 CFU mL−1 — 186
P. aeruginosa Chimeric M13 phage-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (anti-aggregation) 102 CFU mL−1 — Drinking water, nonfat bovine milk 196
 
Toxins
Aflatoxin B1 DNA-spherical AuNP FRET 61 pM 61 pM to 4.0 μM Wine, beer 95
Aflatoxin M1 (Aptamer + cDNA)-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (anti-aggregation) 30 ng L−1 300–75 000 ng L−1 Milk 214
Aflatoxin M1 (Aptamer + cDNA)-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (anti-aggregation) 1.8 nM in milk — Milk 215
T-2 toxin Aptamer-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (non-crosslinking) 57.8 pg mL−1 (0.124 nM) 0.1–5000 ng mL−1 (0.21435–10 717.5 nM) Wheat, corn 197
Zearalenone (Aptamer + horseradish peroxidase)-spherical AuNP Indirect colorimetric (nanozyme) 0.08 ng mL−1 20–80  000 ng L−1 Corn oil 216
Fumonisin B1 Cysteamine-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 0.90 μg kg−1 2–8 μg kg−1 Corn 198
Saxitoxin Cysteine-spherical AuNP SERS (analyte binding) 1 × 10−7 M — — 199
 
Adulterants
Melamine (PEG + citrate)-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 1.05 nM 1.05 nM to 1 mM Raw milk 170
Melamine Spherical AuNP (plant extract) Colorimetric (crosslinking) 1.82 μM 1.80 to 2.60 μM Milk 171
Melamine Spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 2.38 × 10−7 M 3.90 × 10−7 to 3.97 × 10−6 M Liquid milk 217
5.56 × 10−6 M (in milk)
Melamine Triton X-100-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking + de-protection) UV-vis: 5.1 nM 0–2.5 μM Milk 174
Paper: 1.0 μM 1–1.8 μM
Melamine p-Chlorobenzenesulfonic acid-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 2.3 nM 6.0 × 10−7 to 1.5 × 10−6 M Liquid milk, milk powder 175
Melamine Thymine derivative-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 3.5 nM 0.75–5.00 μM Milk 172
Melamine 1,4-Dithiothreitol (DTT)-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 2.4 × 10−8 M 8 × 10−8 to 6 × 10−7 M Milk 173
6 × 10−7–1.5 × 10−6 M
Melamine Terpyridyl zinc complex-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 2.4 ppb 0.1–0.45 μM Milk 218
Melamine Citrate-spherical AuNP FRET Green: 8 ng mL−1 20–100 ng mL−1 Milk 219
Red: 11 ng mL−1
Melamine Citrate-spherical AuNP FRET 1.7 nM 5 nM to 1.9 μM Milk powder 176
Sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate Citrate-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (anti-aggregation) 23 μg mL−1 23–300 μg mL−1 Milk 220
Commercial anionic detergents 92 μg mL−1 92–900 μg mL−1
Sibutramine Citrate-spherical AuNP Colorimetric (crosslinking) 1.15 μM 5–15 μM Dietary supplement products 221
Urea FITC-aptamer-spherical AuNP FRET 20 mM 20–150 mM Milk 222
 
Preservatives
Formaldehyde Resorcinol-spherical AuNP SERS (analyte binding) 17 μM 25–1000 μM — 179
Formaldehyde Citrate-spherical AuNP SERS (purge-trap device) 1 × 10−4 μg mL−1 1 × 10−4 to 3 × 10−3 μg mL−1 Duck blood, rice flour 180
Thiabendazole CTAB-Au nanorod SERS (analyte binding) Lemon: 149 μg L−1 — Lemon, carrot, mango juice 181
Carrot: 216 μg L−1
Mango: 179 μg L−1
 
Food dyes
Allura red sunset yellow CTAB-Au nanorod SERS (analyte binding) 0.1 mg L−1 — Beverages 113
Malachite green Aptamer-AuNP Colorimetric (non-crosslinking) 15.95 nM 20–300 nM Fish 182
Malachite green Citrate-spherical AuNP Indirect colorimetric (nanozyme) 1.8 nM 10–500 nM Fresh water 183