An Effective Label-Free Electrochemical Aptasensor Based on Gold Nanoparticles for Gluten Detection

Nanomaterials can be used to modify electrodes and improve the conductivity and the performance of electrochemical sensors. Among various nanomaterials, gold-based nanostructures have been used as an anchoring platform for the functionalization of biosensor surfaces. One of the main advantages of using gold for the modification of electrodes is its great affinity for thiol-containing molecules, such as proteins, forming a strong Au-S bond. In this work, we present an impedimetric biosensor based on gold nanoparticles and a truncated aptamer for the quantification of gluten in hydrolyzed matrices such as beer and soy sauce. A good relationship between the Rct values and PWG-Gliadin concentration was found in the range between 0.1–1 mg L−1 of gliadin (corresponding to 0.2–2 mg L−1 of gluten) with a limit of detection of 0.05 mg L−1 of gliadin (corresponding to 0.1 mg L−1 of gluten). The label-free assay was also successfully applied for the determination of real food samples.