One-pot synthesis of AuAgPd trimetallic nanoparticles with peroxidase-like activity for colorimetric assays

A portable smartphone detection of ctDNA using MnB2 nanozyme and paper-based analytical device

The development of point-of-care testing (POCT) for circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is meaningful for the non-invasive cancers screening and diagnosis, particularly in resource-limited settings. The microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) provides an ideal platform, its application in ctDNA assays remains underexplored. In this work, a multifunctional μPAD was manufactured, which can enhance the efficiency and reduce the cost of ctDNA sensing. Additionally, a smartphone-based application analysis was fabricated for convenient, portable detection and colorimetric signal readout. Moreover, the novel oxidase-like MnB2 nanozyme was introduced in the sandwiches sensing strategy, utilizing its catalytic properties to effectively generate a colorimetric signal. The use of MnB2 nanozyme in sensing application is relatively novel, and its catalytic performance and mechanism was thoroughly evaluated via experiment and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. After optimizing the detection conditions, the proposed biosensor exhibited satisfactory results. Furthermore, the method was successfully used to detect ctDNA in tumor cell lysates and peripheral blood samples from tumor-bearing mice. The results were consistent with standard qPCR method, affirming the reliability of our POCT analysis device in ctDNA detection. Thus, this work not only provides a paper-based POCT device and intelligent analysis tool for portable cancers diagnosis, but it also paves a new application path for MnB2 nanozyme in the sensing filed.

Three-in-one covalent organic framework nanozyme: Self-reporting, self-correcting and light-responsive for fluorescence sensing 3-nitrotyrosine

Most current redox-type nanozyme-based colorimetric sensing platforms are susceptible to interference from the reductant when using chromogenic probe, and the unstable H2O2 used in the peroxidase-like nanozyme-based systems is prone to difficulty in sensing signal reproducibility, while peroxidase-like nanozyme with oxidase-mimicking activity is easy to bring background interference by O2. Since the strong structural designability of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) endows them great application value in the sensing fields, therefore, we envision the construction a COF oxidase-like nanozyme-based controllable sensing system that integrates self-reporting, self-correcting and light-responsive functions to avoid these affects. Herein, 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) biomarker was selected as model analyte. 1,3,5-triformylphloroglucinol (Tp) and 3,6-diaminoacridine (DA) were acted as building monomers of the multifunctional COF nanozyme (termed as TpDA). Owing to the excellent light-responsive oxidase-mimicking property of TpDA, 3-NT can be efficiently oxidized, the inner filter effect (IFE) between TpDA and the 3-NT oxidation product greatly quenches the intrinsic fluorescence of TpDA, making it a controllable self-reporting system for fluorescence turn-off sensing 3-NT. Additionally, the excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) that generated continuously during photocatalysis can resist the interference of endogenous reductants. This study not only provides new insights to avoid the interference of H2O2, background and reductants from conventional redox-type nanozyme-based colorimetric systems but also opens avenues to rational construct versatile COF nanozyme-based sensor.

A polyoxometalate-based heterojunction nanozyme with peroxidase-mimic catalytic activity for sensitive biomolecule detection

Nanozymes are a class of nanomaterials that can specifically mimic the structures and catalytic activities as well as overcome limitations of natural enzymes and have hence been considered as a competitive alternative to natural enzymes. At present, plenty of nanozymes, especially those with peroxidase (POD)-like catalytic activity, have been extensively explored for biosensing. In this work, we proposed polyoxometalate-based heterojunction GdP₅W₃₀O₁₁₀@WS₂ nanoclusters (NCs) to exert intrinsic POD-like catalytic activity even under harsh catalytic conditions. Detailedly, GdP₅W₃₀O₁₁₀@WS₂ NCs possessing conducive POD-like catalytic activity can oxidize chromogenic substrates into colored substances in the presence of H₂O₂. On the strength of the POD-like catalytic activity of GdP₅W₃₀O₁₁₀@WS₂ NCs, a reliable analytical platform is then constructed after the optimization of catalytic conditions for the detection of H₂O₂, glutathione (GSH) and glucose via a simple TMB colorimetric strategy. This work advances the utilization of versatile polyoxometalate-based nanomaterials for biosensing, dramatically broadening the potential applications of other nanozyme-based biosensors.

Iodide-Mediated Etching of Gold Nanostar for the Multicolor Visual Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide

A multicolor visual method for the detection of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was reported based on the iodide-mediated surface etching of gold nanostar (AuNS). First, AuNS was prepared by a seed-mediated method in a HEPES buffer. AuNS shows two different LSPR absorbance bands at 736 nm and 550 nm, respectively. Multicolor was generated by iodide-mediated surface etching of AuNS in the presence of H₂O₂. Under the optimized conditions, the absorption peak Δλ had a good linear relationship with the concentration of H₂O₂ with a linear range from 0.67~66.67 μmol L^-1, and the detection limit is 0.44 μmol L^-1. It can be used to detect residual H₂O₂ in tap water samples. This method offered a promising visual method for point-of-care testing of H₂O₂-related biomarkers.

A sensitive colorimetric hydrogen sulfide detection approach based on copper-metal-organic frameworks and a smartphone

In this study, we demonstrate a colorimetric approach for the detection of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) in water samples with high sensitivity. Firstly, copper-metal-organic frameworks (Cu-MOFs) were synthesized by ultrasonic-assisted hydrothermal method, presenting a maximum absorption peak at 700 nm. It was found that Cu-MOFs could react with H₂S to form a copper-sulfur complex along with a decrease of the absorption peak at 700 nm and a visible color change from blue to tan. Under the optimal reaction conditions, the absorption intensity at 700 nm was linear with H₂S concentration in a range of 0.05-2 mM (R² = 0.9928), providing a detection limit of 22 μM. Furthermore, the method was successfully applied to the detection of H₂S in lake water samples with a recovery rate between 94.4% and 112.6%. In addition, a practical and portable device for on-site H₂S detection was designed by using agarose hydrogels, and a simple colorimetric detection method based on a smartphone was developed. This analytical method showed good selectivity for H₂S compared to other interfering substances, and the feasibility of the agarose hydrogel-based device was proved by the determination of H₂S in real lake water samples.