1.School of Resources and Environment,University of Jinan,Jinan,People’s Republic of China;2.Shandong Yellow River Institute of Metrology,Jinan,People’s Republic of China;3.School of Biological Sciences and Technology,University of Jinan,Jinan,People’s Republic of China;4.Key Laboratory of Chemical Sensing & Analysis in Universities of Shandong, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering,University of Jinan,Jinan,People’s Republic of China
Abstract:
The authors describe a colorimetric method for the determination of Hg(II) ion. It is based on the color change from red to colorless as displayed by gold nanoparticle (AuNP) modified with thymine - rich DNA. Signal amplification is accomplished by free strand displacement recycling. In this strategy, Hg(II) unfolds the arch-trigger duplex due to the high affinity between Hg(II) and the thymines to form T-Hg(II)-T structures, thereby causing the release of trigger. The liberated trigger unfolds the hairpin structure of H1, and unfolded H1 further unfolds with H2. As a result, the H2 hairpin displaces trigger, and the released trigger unfolds another H1. This results in strong and enzyme-free strand displacement recycling amplification. The aggregation of DNA-AuNPs occurs in the presence of the duplex formed by hairpins H2 and H1. This results in a color change from red to colorless that can be visually observed. Under optimal conditions, the assay has a detection range over 4 orders of magnitude and a 3.4 nM detection limit. The assay is selective, sensitive, rapid and cost-effective. In our perception, it represents a useful platform for determination of Hg(II).
Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of the simple, rapid, low cost colorimetric detection of mercury(II) based on enzyme-free strand displacement amplification along with DNA-labeled AuNP.
