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On the possibility of ephedrine detection: time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based approach

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Abstract

Ephedrine is one of the main precursor compounds used in the illegal production of amphetamines and related drugs. Actually, conventional analytical methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), capillary electrophoresis (CE), and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) are used for the detection of ephedrine; sadly, these methods require qualified personnel and are time-consuming and expensive. In order to overcome these problems, in recent years, different methods have been developed based on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and electrochemical method. In this work, we present a simple, rapid, and effective method to detect the presence of ephedrine in solution, based on competitive fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay. The antibody anti-ephedrine and ephedrine derivative were produced and labeled respectively, with two different fluorescent probes (donor and acceptor). The change in FRET signal intensity between donor and acceptor ephedrine compounds gives the possibility of detecting ephedrine traces of at least 0.81 ± 0.04 ppm (LOD).

A new Time-resolved Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) assay for ephedrine detection

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Acknowledgments

This project is in the framework of the FP7 EU Project “CUSTOM” grant agreement number: 242387 (DS, AV, MS).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Food Science, CNR, Via Roma 52, 83100, Avellino, Italy

    Antonio Varriale, Stefano Di Giovanni, Andrea Scala, Alessandro Capo, Adelia Majoli, Angela Pennacchio, Maria Staiano & Sabato D’Auria

  2. Institute of Protein Biochemistry, CNR, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131, Naples, Italy

    Vincenzo Manuel Marzullo & Andrea Scala

Authors
  1. Antonio Varriale
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  2. Vincenzo Manuel Marzullo
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  3. Stefano Di Giovanni
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  4. Andrea Scala
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  5. Alessandro Capo
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  6. Adelia Majoli
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  7. Angela Pennacchio
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  8. Maria Staiano
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  9. Sabato D’Auria
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Correspondence to Antonio Varriale or Sabato D’Auria.

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Varriale, A., Marzullo, V.M., Di Giovanni, S. et al. On the possibility of ephedrine detection: time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based approach. Anal Bioanal Chem 408, 6329–6336 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-016-9738-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-016-9738-y

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