Comprehensive SERS–LFIA Platform for Ultrasensitive Detection and Automated Discrimination of Chloramphenicol Residues in Aquatic Products

With
the increasing misuse of antibiotic drugs, the convenient
and ultrasensitive detection of chloramphenicol (CAP) is essential
for ensuring food safety and human health. In this study, a comprehensive
platform was developed integrating detection and discrimination capabilities
by combining surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) with lateral
flow immunoassay (LFIA) technology, along with a support vector machine
(SVM) model for data analysis, to detect CAP residues in aquatic products.
The CAP-specific antibody-modified gold nanostars (Au NSs) were synthesized
as SERS–LFIA nanoprobes, achieving an ultralow limit of detection
(LOD) of 10 pg/mL and a theoretical LOD of 1.6 pg/mL for simulated
aquatic samples. This sensitivity surpasses that of the currently
available commercial strips and demonstrates high specificity. Additionally,
the automated discrimination model exhibited high sensitivity (95.83%)
and specificity (96.43%) as well as an accuracy of 96% on the test
set, marking an 8% improvement over traditional Raman intensity discrimination
methods. This developed platform is a simple, fast, and automated
technique that eliminates the need for sample pretreatment, offering
a promising approach for the trace detection of CAP in aquatic products.