toxindetection

Toxin detection is the process of identifying and quantifying toxic substances in samples to protect health and the environment. It covers biological, chemical, and physical toxins across food, water, clinical, and industrial contexts, with objectives including confirming exposure, estimating dose, guiding intervention, and supporting regulatory compliance.

Analytical techniques used in toxin detection include chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, such as LC-MS/MS and GC-MS, which provide specific and sensitive measurement of a broad range of toxins. Immunoassays, including ELISA and lateral flow tests, offer rapid screening for targeted toxins with moderate sensitivity. Emerging platforms, such as biosensors and aptamer-based assays, aim to enable portable and on-site testing, sometimes at the expense of the breadth of detection. Multiplex approaches seek to detect multiple toxins simultaneously.

Common sample matrices comprise food products (grains, dairy, seafood), drinking water, environmental samples (soil and sediment), and clinical specimens (blood and urine). A typical workflow includes sampling, preparation and extraction, detection, and data interpretation. Validation considerations address accuracy, precision, recovery, matrix effects, and the limits of detection and quantification, along with potential cross-reactivity. Quality control, calibration, and proficiency testing underpin reliability and reduce false positives or negatives.

Regulatory and public health contexts drive toxin monitoring in foods and the environment, with laboratories often operating under accreditation schemes and standardized methods. Challenges in toxin detection include matrix complexity, the need for rapid on-site results versus laboratory-grade accuracy, and the development of harmonized, widely accessible methods. Future directions emphasize improved portability, multiplex capability, data integration, and standardized reference materials.