Presently, the capability of electrochemical aptamer-based sensors (E-AB) are being explored, which incorporate aptamers for sensing small molecules and proteins, transducing the signal electrochemically. Currently, much work around E-ABs is being conducted by a group at the University of California, Santa Barbara for recognising aminoglycoside antibiotics, inclusive of tobramycin. To validate the accuracy of the biosensor measurements, a proof of concept is required to compare E-AB results with traditional samples. For this there is a need for a simple, reliable and sensitive method for quantification of tobramycin. Two techniques were explored, resulting in different endpoints of a quick qualitative measurement, compared to a more quantitative result.Firstly, a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assay has beensuccessfully developed for the determination of tobramycin in rat plasma, over a linear dynamic range of 50 - 10,000 ng/mL, using protein precipitation (PPT) and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Secondly, as an alternative method of detection, electrochemiluminescence (ECL) was investigated to detect tobramycin using screen printed electrodes (SPE) modified with a nafion-ruthenium film, down to 2.34 µM. Overall, ECL showed promise as a detection method and as a technique for screening, providing a qualitative assessment for the presence of tobramycin. Further work is required, however in the future LC-MS/MS could be utilised to provide a quantitative result for tobramycin in rat plasma, after initial ECL measurements. These techniques could be used in the future to support output of biosensor measurements.
| Date of Award | 17 Feb 2020 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Awarding Institution | - University Of Strathclyde
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| Sponsors | University of Strathclyde |
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| Supervisor | Lynn Dennany (Supervisor) & Karen Faulds (Supervisor) |
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