title: A Rapid and Sensitive Assay for the Detection of Benzylpenicillin (PenG) in Milk.
abstract: Antibiotics, such as benzyl-penicillin (PenG) and cephalosporin, are the most common compounds used in animal therapy. Their massive and illegal use in animal therapy and prophylaxis inevitably causes the presence of traces in foods of animal origin (milk and meat), which creates several problems for human health. With the aim to prevent the negative impact of β-lactam and, in particular, PenG residues present in the milk on customer health, many countries have established maximum residue limits (MRLs). To cope with this problem here, we propose an effective alternative, compared to the analytical methods actually employed, to quantify the presence of penicillin G using the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) method. In particular, the PenG molecule was conjugated to a protein carrier to immunize a rabbit and produce polyclonal antibodies (anti-PenG). The produced antibodies were used as molecular recognition elements for the design of a competitive immune-assay for the detection of PenG by SPR experiments. The detection limit of the developed assay was found to be 8.0 pM, a value much lower than the MRL of the EU regulation limit that is fixed at 12 nM. Thus, our results clearly show that this system could be successfully suitable for the accurate and easy determination of PenG.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Sensing, IBP-CNR, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pennacchio
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Sensing, IBP-CNR, Naples, Italy; Institute of Food Science, ISA- CNR, Avellino, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varriale
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Sensing, IBP-CNR, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Sensing, IBP-CNR, Naples, Italy; Institute of Food Science, ISA- CNR, Avellino, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scala
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Sensing, IBP-CNR, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo Manuel
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Marzullo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Sensing, IBP-CNR, Naples, Italy; Institute of Food Science, ISA- CNR, Avellino, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Staiano
authors.affiliation: Institute of Food Science, ISA- CNR, Avellino, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabato
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Auria
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D004350:Drug Residues / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000906:Antibodies; D010400:Penicillin G