Rapid fluorescent lateral flow assay for acrylamide detection in water at 0.5 ppb sensitivity

Overview

This solution offers a rapid, affordable lateral flow assay (LFA) capable of detecting acrylamide in water at concentrations as low as 0.5 parts per billion (ppb), delivering results in under 15 minutes at a cost of less than $10 per test. Acrylamide is a known carcinogen and neurotoxin commonly found in industrial wastewater and certain food products, making sensitive and accessible detection critical for environmental monitoring and public health. By replacing traditional colloidal gold labels with optimized fluorescent particles, this assay achieves up to a 300-fold improvement in sensitivity compared to standard LFA formats, enabling reliable detection at regulatory-relevant thresholds without the need for laboratory instrumentation.

Technical specifications

Key features:

• Fluorescent particle–based lateral flow assay with up to 300-fold sensitivity improvement over colloidal gold LFAs
• Detection limit of 0.5 ppb acrylamide in water samples
• Total assay time of less than 15 minutes
• Per-test cost under $10
• Biotinylated monoclonal antibody specific for acrylamide, validated in LFA applications
• Streptavidin-coated fluorescent beads covalently conjugated for stable signal generation
• Nitrocellulose membrane format with test line (acrylamide conjugate) and control line (goat anti-mouse)
• Optimized conjugate spraying and drying conditions, conjugate pad materials, buffers, and stability protocols
• Adaptable format to address specific customer requirements

How it works:

The assay uses a biotinylated anti-acrylamide monoclonal antibody combined with streptavidin-conjugated fluorescent beads. When a water sample is applied to the strip, the antibody-bead complex flows across the membrane. The presence of acrylamide is indicated by binding at the test line, with fluorescence intensity correlating to analyte concentration. Rigorous optimization covers stoichiometry of each component, spraying buffer selection, LFA material compatibility, and comprehensive sensitivity and specificity analysis.

Technology readiness level

Attogene has spent over a year developing and refining fluorescent LFA technology, successfully converting multiple colloidal gold–based LFA devices into stable, robust fluorescent formats across numerous analytes. The team has optimized conjugate manufacturing conditions, screened fluorescent particle types, and established standardized operating procedures for conjugate pad materials, buffers, and stability. Attogene possesses in-house manufacturing capacity for LFA tests and can adapt the format to meet partner-specific needs. The current stage involves applying this validated platform to acrylamide detection using a commercially available, LFA-validated monoclonal antibody, with ongoing optimization and characterization to confirm 0.5 ppb sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility.