Fluorescent sensing of mercury (II) and copper (II) ions based on DNA-templated Cu/Ag nanoclusters

Synergism between copper and silver nanoclusters induces fascinating structural modifications, properties, and applications

Among the group 11 transition metal elements, Cu and Ag are widely studied due to their cost effectiveness and easy availability. However, the synergism between copper and silver is also very promising, exhibiting intriguing structures, properties, and applications. Nanoclusters, which are missing links between atoms and nanoparticles, are highly fluorescent due to their discrete energy levels. Their fluorescence can be efficiently tuned because of the synergistic behaviour of copper and silver. Furthermore, their fluorescence can be selectively altered in the presence of various analytes and sensing platforms, as reported by various groups. Moreover, copper clusters can be utilized for sensing silver while silver nanoclusters can be utilized for sensing ionic copper due to the strong interaction between copper and silver. Furthermore, DFT studies have been performed to understand the structural modification due to CuAg synergism. A concise summary of the synergism between copper and silver can open a new window of research for young scientists venturing into the field of environmental nanoscience.

Fluorescent DNA-Silver nanoclusters in food safety detection: From synthesis to application

In recent years, the conventional preparation of silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) has attracted much attention due to their ultra-small size, tunable fluorescence, easy-to-engineer, as well as biocompatible material. Moreover, its great affinity towards cytosine bases on single-stranded DNA has led to the construction of biosensors, especially aptamers, for a broad variety of applications in food safety and environmental protection. In past years, numerous researchers paid attention to the construction of AgNCs aptasensor. Therefore, this review will be an effort to summarize the synthetic strategy along with the influences of factors on synthesis, categorize the sensing mechanism of aptamer-functionalized AgNCs biosensors, as well as their specific applications in food safety detection including heavy metal, toxin, and foodborne pathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, a brief conclusion and outlook regarding the prospects and challenges of their applications in food safety were drawn in line with the developments in DNA-AgNCs.

Aptamer-Based fluorescent DNA biosensor in antibiotics detection

The inappropriate employment of antibiotics across diverse industries has engendered profound apprehensions concerning their cumulative presence within human bodies and food commodities. Consequently, many nations have instituted stringent measures limiting the admissible quantities of antibiotics in food items. Nonetheless, conventional techniques employed for antibiotic detection prove protracted and laborious, prompting a dire necessity for facile, expeditious, and uncomplicated detection methodologies. In this regard, aptamer-based fluorescent DNA biosensors (AFBs) have emerged as a sanguine panacea to surmount the limitations of traditional detection modalities. These ingenious biosensors harness the binding prowess of aptamers, singular strands of DNA/RNA, to selectively adhere to specific target antibiotics. Notably, the AFBs demonstrate unparalleled selectivity, affinity, and sensitivity in detecting antibiotics. This comprehensive review meticulously expounds upon the strides achieved in AFBs for antibiotic detection, particularly emphasizing the labeling modality and the innovative free-label approach. It also elucidates the design principles behind a diverse array of AFBs. Additionally, a succinct survey of signal amplification strategies deployed within these biosensors is provided. The central objective of this review is to apprise researchers from diverse disciplines of the contemporary trends in AFBs for antibiotic detection. By doing so, it aspires to instigate a concerted endeavor toward the development of heightened sensitivity and pioneering AFBs, thereby contributing to the perpetual advancement of antibiotic detection methodologies.

Bioactive Luminescent Silver Clusters Confined in Zeolites Enable Quick and Wash-Free Biosensing

The simultaneous capture and detection of biomolecules is crucial for revolutionizing bioanalytical platforms in terms of portability, response time and cost-efficiency. Herein, we demonstrate how the sensitivity to external stimuli and changes in the local electronic environment of silver clusters lead to an advantageous biosensing platform based on the fluorometric response of bioactive luminescent silver clusters (BioLuSiC) confined in faujasite X zeolites functionalized with antibodies. The photoluminescence response of BioLuSiC was enhanced upon immunocomplex formation, empowering a wash-free and quick biodetection system offering optimal results from 5 min. Proteins and pathogens (immunoglobulin G and Escherichia coli) were targeted to demonstrate the biosensing performance of BioLuSiC, and a human serum titration assay was also established. BioLuSiC will pave the way for innovative bioanalytical platforms, including real-time monitoring systems, point-of-care devices and bioimaging techniques.

Preparation of blue fluorescent copper nanoclusters for sensitive and selective sensing of apigenin in pharmaceutical samples

One-pot means was performed for the rapid preparation of copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs), which were employed as a fluorescence system for the sensitive apigenin measurement in pharmaceutical samples. Herein, CuCl₂ aqueous solution was reduced to Cu NCs through ascorbic acid and the Cu NCs were protected through trypsin under 65 ℃ for 4 h. The entire preparation process was rapid, facile and environmentally friendly. The trypsin-capped Cu NCs were demonstrated through ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and fluorescence lifetime, respectively. The Cu NCs revealed blue fluorescence with emission wavelength around 465 nm under the excitation wavelength of 380 nm. The fluorescence weakening feature of Cu NCs with apigenin was observed. On this basis, a facile and sensitive turn-off fluorescent nanoprobe for the sensing of apigenin in real samples was developed. The logarithm of relative fluorescence intensity revealed a good linear relationship with apigenin contents from 0.5 μM to 300 μM with the detection limit of 0.079 μM. The Cu NCs-based fluorescent nanosensor have been employed to measure the apigenin amounts in real samples such as medical saline, bovine and human serum. The results revealed excellent potential of this Cu NCs-based fluorescent nanoprobe for the convention computation of apigenin amounts in real samples.

A fluorescent assay for sensitive detection of kanamycin by split aptamers and DNA-based copper/silver nanoclusters

Kanamycin was a group of essential antibiotics generally served in treating infections of animals which leached into the environment residual in food, causing health concerns. Thus, selective and sensitive monitoring of kanamycin was significant for food safety. In this work, split aptamers were used as templates to prepare fluorescent Cu/Ag NCs for detection of kanamycin. According to the impressive affinity of the aptamer to kanamycin, two different detection modes were designed using kanamycin aptamer as a recognition molecule, in which one was to combine split aptamer Apt-1 with Apt-2 to form an entangled DNA as a Cu/Ag NCs template, the other was to associate the normal aptamer after encirclement to form Cu/Ag NCs templates. After the addition of kanamycin, the fluorescence signals of the Cu/Ag NCs synthesized in the two modes were both enhanced, but the approach with split aptamer exhibited a superior observable sensitivity than that of the normal type. The detection range showed a well linear relationship between 80 nM and 10 μM when the emission wavelength was 560 nm, and the detection limit was 13.3 nM. In addition, when streptomycin, oxytetracycline, chloramphenicol and chlortetracycline were involved in the selective interference experiment under the same conditions, the fluorescence intensity of the system performed no significant changes. The results demonstrated that this method possessed favorable specificity and selectivity for the assay of kanamycin, proficiently achieving efficient, rapid and sensitive evaluation of kanamycin in the milk samples.

Label-Free Fluorescent Turn-On Glyphosate Sensing Based on DNA-Templated Silver Nanoclusters

In this work, a label-free fluorescent detection method for glyphosate, based on DNA-templated silver nanoclusters (DNA-Ag NCs) and a Cu²⁺-ion-modulated strategy, was developed. In the presence of Cu²⁺, the fluorescence of the DNA-Ag NCs was quenched. Glyphosate can restore the fluorescence of DNA-Ag NCs. By analyzing the storage stability of the obtained DNA-Ag NCs using different DNA templates, specific DNA-Ag NCs were selected for the construction of the glyphosate sensor. The ultrasensitive detection of glyphosate was achieved by optimizing the buffer pH and Cu²⁺ concentration. The sensing of glyphosate demonstrated a linear response in the range of 1.0-50 ng/mL. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.2 ng/mL. The proposed method was successfully applied in the detection of glyphosate in a real sample, indicating its high application potential for glyphosate detection.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Red Emitting Copper Nanoclusters Using Trypsin as a Ligand for Sensing of Pb2+ And Hg2+ Ions in Water and Tobacco Samples

In this work, a microwave assisted method was developed for synthesis of red fluorescent copper nanoclusters (NCs) using trypsin as a template (trypsin-Cu). The as-synthesized trypsin-Cu NCs are stable and water soluble, exhibiting fluorescence emission at 657 nm when excited at 490 nm. The as-prepared red-emitting trypsin-Cu NCs were characterized by using several analytical techniques such as ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) and fluorescence, fluorescence lifetime, Fourier transform infrared, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic techniques. Red-emitting trypsin-Cu NCs acted as a nanosensor for sensing both Pb2+ and Hg2+ ions through fluorescence quenching. Using this approach, good linearities are observed in the range of 0.1-25 and of 0.001-1 μM with the lower limit of detection of 14.63 and 56.81 nM for Pb2+ and Hg2+ ions, respectively. Trypsin-Cu NCs-based fluorescence assay was successfully applied to detect both Hg2+ and Pb2+ ions in water and tobacco samples.

Cost-Effective and Selective Fluorescent Chemosensor (Pyr-NH@SiO2 NPs) for Mercury Detection in Seawater

The release of mercury into the environment has adverse effects on humans and aquatic species, even at very low concentrations. Pyrene and its derivatives have interesting fluorescence properties that can be utilized for mercury (Hg²⁺) ion sensing. Herein, we reported the highly selective pyrene-functionalized silica nanoparticles (Pyr-NH@SiO₂ NPs) for chemosensing mercury (Hg²⁺) ions in a seawater sample. The Pyr-NH@SiO₂ NPs were synthesized via a two-step protocol. First, a modified Stöber method was adopted to generate amino-functionalized silica nanoparticles (NH₂@SiO₂ NPs). Second, 1-pyrenecarboxylic acid was coupled to NH₂@SiO₂ NPs using a peptide coupling reaction. As-synthesized NH₂@SiO₂ NPs and Pyr-NH@SiO₂ NPs were thoroughly investigated by ¹H-NMR, FTIR, XRD, FESEM, EDS, TGA, and BET surface area analysis. The fluorescent properties were examined in deionized water under UV-light illumination. Finally, the developed Pyr-NH@SiO₂ NPs were tested as a chemosensor for Hg²⁺ ions detection in a broad concentration range (0–50 ppm) via photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The chemosensor can selectively detect Hg²⁺ ions in the presence of ubiquitous ions (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ba²⁺, Ag⁺, and seawater samples). The quenching of fluorescence properties with Hg²⁺ ions (LOD: 10 ppb) indicates that Pyr-NH@SiO₂ NPs can be effectively utilized as a promising chemosensor for mercury ion detection in seawater environments.