An amplified fluorescent biosensor for Ag+ detection through the hybridization chain reactions

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces, B, Biointerfaces Vol. 202; p. 111686
• Main Authors: Li, Hengxuan, Chen, Minghui, Luo, Ran, Peng, Weipan, Gong, Xiaoqun, Chang, Jin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-06-2021
• Subjects: Ag; Fluorescence signal; Hybridization chain reaction; Water quality testing; Hybridization chain reaction; Ag; Fluorescence signal; Water quality testing; Ag(+)
• ISSN: 0927-7765; 1873-4367
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2021.111686

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•A simple, efficient and sensitive fluorescent biosensor for Ag+ detection.•The specificity is based on the strong, particular binding interaction of C-Ag+-C.•Excellent performance of sensitivity using HCR as amplification method.•The limited of detection of Ag+ is down to 0.69 pM.
Ag is widely distributed in nature and it is used in almost all areas of human life. However, due to the widespread use of Ag materials, Ag+ pollution seriously threatens the human health and environment. The traditional detection methods for Ag+ suffer from disadvantages including high operational cost, complicated operating unit and instrument, and high requirements for professionals. Thus, in this study, a new type of Ag+ detection biosensor based on the hybridization signal amplification was designed to overcome these problems. Combining cytosine-Ag+-cytosine mismatch structure with the hybridization chain reaction, this biosensor converted the conventional detection signal into the nucleic acid amplification signal, which realized efficient, rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of Ag+. The limit-of-detection of this sensor reached 0.69 pM, which is much less than the maximum concentration (0.1 mg L−1, 927 nM) suggested for drinking water by the World Health Organization, and the maximum concentration (0.05 mg L−1, 464 nM) suggested by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This method provides a promising new platform for detecting Ag+ concentrations at ultralow levels.