Label free detection of lead using impedimetric sensor based on ordered mesoporous carbon–gold nanoparticles and DNAzyme catalytic beacons

Recent advances on nanomaterial-based glutathione sensors

Glutathione (GSH) is one of the most common thiol-containing molecules discovered in biological systems, and it plays an important role in many cellular functions, where changes in physiological glutathione levels contribute to the progress of a variety of diseases. Molecular imaging employing fluorescent probes is thought to be a sensitive technique for online fluorescence detection of GSH. Although various molecular probes for (intracellular) GSH sensing have been reported, some aspects remain unanswered, such as quantitative intracellular analysis, dynamic monitoring, and compatibility with biological environment. Some of these drawbacks can be overcome by sensors based on nanostructured materials, that have attracted considerable attention owing to their exceptional properties, including a large surface area, heightened electro-catalytic activity, and robust mechanical resilience, for which they have become integral components in the development of highly sensitive chemo- and biosensors. Additionally, engineered nanomaterials have demonstrated significant promise in enhancing the precision of disease diagnosis and refining treatment specificity. The aim of this review is to investigate recent advancements in fabricated nanomaterials tailored for detecting GSH. Specifically, it examines various material categories, encompassing carbon, polymeric, quantum dots (QDs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), metal-based, and silicon-based nanomaterials, applied in the fabrication of chemo- and biosensors. The fabrication of nano-biosensors, mechanisms, and methodologies employed for GSH detection utilizing these fabricated nanomaterials will also be elucidated. Remarkably, there is a noticeable absence of existing reviews specifically dedicated to the nanomaterials for GSH detection since they are not comprehensive in the case of nano-fabrication, mechanisms and methodologies of detection, as well as applications in various biological environments. This research gap presents an opportune moment to thoroughly assess the potential of nanomaterial-based approaches in advancing GSH detection methodologies.

Recent advances in mitochondria-targeting theranostic agents

For its vital role in maintaining cellular activity and survival, mitochondrion is highly involved in various diseases, and several strategies to target mitochondria have been developed for specific imaging and treatment. Among these approaches, theranostic may realize both diagnosis and therapy with one integrated material, benefiting the simplification of treatment process and candidate drug evaluation. A variety of mitochondria-targeting theranostic agents have been designed based on the differential structure and composition of mitochondria, which enable more precise localization within cellular mitochondria at disease sites, facilitating the unveiling of pathological information while concurrently performing therapeutic interventions. Here, progress of mitochondria-targeting theranostic materials reported in recent years along with background information on mitochondria-targeting and therapy have been briefly summarized, determining to deliver updated status and design ideas in this field to readers.

Recent advances and trends in innovative biosensor-based devices for heavy metal ion detection in food

Low-cost, reliable, and efficient biosensors are crucial in detecting residual heavy metal ions (HMIs) in food products. At present, based on distance-induced localized surface plasmon resonance of noble metal nanoparticles, enzyme-mimetic reaction of nanozymes, and chelation reaction of metal chelators, the constructed optical sensors have attracted wide attention in HMIs detection. Besides, based on the enrichment and signal amplification strategy of nanomaterials on HMIs and the construction of electrochemical aptamer sensing platforms, the developed electrochemical biosensors have overcome the plague of low sensitivity, poor selectivity, and the inability of multiplexed detection in the optical strategy. Moreover, along with an in-depth discussion of these different types of biosensors, a detailed overview of the design and application of innovative devices based on these sensing principles was provided, including microfluidic systems, hydrogel-based platforms, and test strip technologies. Finally, the challenges that hinder commercial application have also been mentioned. Overall, this review aims to establish a theoretical foundation for developing accurate and reliable sensing technologies and devices for HMIs, thereby promoting the widespread application of biosensors in the detection of HMIs in food.

Selenium in soil-plant system: Transport, detoxification and bioremediation

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for humans and a beneficial element for plants. However, high Se doses always exhibit hazardous effects. Recently, Se toxicity in plant-soil system has received increasing attention. This review will summarize (1) Se concentration in soils and its sources, (2) Se bioavailability in soils and influencing factors, (3) mechanisms on Se uptake and translocation in plants, (4) toxicity and detoxification of Se in plants and (5) strategies to remediate Se pollution. High Se concentration mainly results from wastewater discharge and industrial waste dumping. Selenate (Se [VI]) and selenite (Se [IV]) are the two primary forms absorbed by plants. Soil conditions such as pH, redox potential, organic matter and microorganisms will influence Se bioavailability. In plants, excessive Se will interfere with element uptake, depress photosynthetic pigment biosynthesis, generate oxidative damages and cause genotoxicity. Plants employ a series of strategies to detoxify Se, such as activating antioxidant defense systems and sequestrating excessive Se in the vacuole. In order to alleviate Se toxicity to plants, some strategies can be applied, including phytoremediation, OM remediation, microbial remediation, adsorption technique, chemical reduction technology and exogenous substances (such as Methyl jasmonate, Nitric oxide and Melatonin). This review is expected to expand the knowledge of Se toxicity/detoxicity in soil-plant system and offer valuable insights into soils Se pollution remediation strategies.

Signal-on fluorescent sensing strategy for Pb2+ detection based on 8-17 DNAzyme-mediated molecular beacon-type catalytic hairpin assembly circuit

Based on a Pb²⁺-specific 8-17 DNAzyme-induced catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA), a simple signal-on fluorescence strategy for lead ion detection was established. 8-17 DNAzyme was used as the recognition element of Pb²⁺, which catalyzed the cleavage of the RNA base embedded in the DNA substrate strand, while releasing part of the substrate strand (S') as CHA initiator. And two hairpin probes (H1 and H2-FQ) were designed according to the sequence of S' for CHA, in which H2-FQ was labeled with the fluorophore FAM and quencher BHQ-1 as fluorescent "molecular switch" based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). In the presence of Pb²⁺, the CHA reaction was triggered to form a large number of H1-H2 complexes, enabling enzyme-free isothermal amplification and a signal-on fluorescence strategy. In the concentration range of 0.5-1000 nM, the fluorescence signal increases with the increase of Pb²⁺ concentration. The quantitative detection limit of Pb²⁺ by this method is 0.5 nM, which has better detection performance compared with the FQ-labeled 8-17 DNAzyme method. The established biosensor exhibits good specificity and can be effectively used for the detection of Pb²⁺ in real samples of river water and grass carp. Through ingenious nucleic acid sequence design, DNAzyme and CHA reactions are integrated to realize the enzyme-free isothermal amplifications and sensitive detection of Pb²⁺, which holds potential versatility in food supervision and environmental monitoring.

An economical strategy towards the managing of selenium pollution from contaminated water: A current state-of-the-art review

During the last few decades, contamination of selenium (Se) in groundwater has turned out to be a major environmental concern to provide safe drinking water. The content of selenium in such contaminated water might range from 400 to 700 μg/L, where bringing it down to a safe level of 40 μg/L for municipal water supply employing appropriate methodologies is a major challenge for the global researcher communities. The current review focuses mostly on the governing selenium remediation technologies such as coagulation-flocculation, electrocoagulation, bioremediation, membrane-based approaches, adsorption, electro-kinetics, chemical precipitation, and reduction methods. This study emphasizes on the development of a variety of low-cost adsorbents and metal oxides for the selenium decontamination from groundwater as a cutting-edge technology development along with their applicability, and environmental concerns. Moreover, after the removal, the recovery methodologies using appropriate materials are analyzed which is the need of the hour for the reutilization of selenium in different processing industries for the generation of high valued products. From the literature survey, it has been found that hematite modified magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) efficiently adsorb Se (IV) (25.0 mg/g) from contaminated groundwater. MNP@hematite reduced Se (IV) concentration from 100 g/L to 10 g/L in 10 min at pH 4-9 using a dosage of 1 g/L. In 15 min, the magnetic adsorbent can be recycled and regenerated using a 10 mM NaOH solution. The adsorption and desorption efficiencies were over 97% and 82% for five consecutive cycles, respectively. To encourage the notion towards scale-up, a techno-economic evaluation with possible environmentally sensitive policy analysis has been introduced in this article to introspect the aspects of sustainability. This type of assessment is anticipated to be extremely encouraging to convey crucial recommendations to the scientific communities in order to produce high efficiency selenium elimination and further recovery from contaminated groundwater.

An overview of Structured Biosensors for Metal Ions Determination

The determination of metal ions is important for nutritional and toxicological assessment. Atomic spectrometric techniques are highly efficient for the determination of these species, but the high costs of acquisition and maintenance hinder the application of these techniques. Inexpensive alternatives for metallic element determination are based on dedicated biosensors. These devices mimic biological systems and convert biochemical processes into physical outputs and can be used for the sensitive and selective determination of chemical species such as cations. In this work, an overview of the proposed biosensors for metal ions determination was carried out considering the last 15 years of publications. Statistical data on the applications, response mechanisms, instrumentation designs, applications of nanomaterials, and multielement analysis are herein discussed.

Biosensing with DNAzymes

This article provides a comprehensive review of biosensing with DNAzymes, providing an overview of different sensing applications while highlighting major progress and seminal contributions to the field of portable biosensor devices and point-of-care diagnostics. Specifically, the field of functional nucleic acids is introduced, with a specific focus on DNAzymes. The incorporation of DNAzymes into bioassays is then described, followed by a detailed overview of recent advances in the development of in vivo sensing platforms and portable sensors incorporating DNAzymes for molecular recognition. Finally, a critical perspective on the field, and a summary of where DNAzyme-based devices may make the biggest impact are provided.

Detection of pollutants in water bodies: electrochemical detection or photo-electrochemical detection?

The massive discharge of pollutants including endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), heavy metals, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) into water bodies is endangering the ecological environment and human health, and needs to be accurately detected. Both electrochemical and photo-electrochemical detection methods have been widely used for the detection of these pollutants, however, which one is better for the detection of different environmental pollutants? In this feature article, different electrochemical and photo-electrochemical detection methods are summarized, including the principles, classification, common catalysts, and applications. By summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of different detection methods, this review provides a guide for other researchers to detect pollutants in water bodies by using electrochemical and photo-electrochemical analysis.

Electrochemical Affinity Biosensors Based on Selected Nanostructures for Food and Environmental Monitoring

The excellent capabilities demonstrated over the last few years by electrochemical affinity biosensors should be largely attributed to their coupling with particular nanostructures including dendrimers, DNA-based nanoskeletons, molecular imprinted polymers, metal-organic frameworks, nanozymes and magnetic and mesoporous silica nanoparticles. This review article aims to give, by highlighting representative methods reported in the last 5 years, an updated and general overview of the main improvements that the use of such well-ordered nanomaterials as electrode modifiers or advanced labels confer to electrochemical affinity biosensors in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, stability, conductivity and biocompatibility focused on food and environmental applications, less covered in the literature than clinics. A wide variety of bioreceptors (antibodies, DNAs, aptamers, lectins, mast cells, DNAzymes), affinity reactions (single, sandwich, competitive and displacement) and detection strategies (label-free or label-based using mainly natural but also artificial enzymes), whose performance is substantially improved when used in conjunction with nanostructured systems, are critically discussed together with the great diversity of molecular targets that nanostructured affinity biosensors are able to quantify using quite simple protocols in a wide variety of matrices and with the sensitivity required by legislation. The large number of possibilities and the versatility of these approaches, the main challenges to face in order to achieve other pursued capabilities (development of antifouling, continuous operation, wash-, calibration- and reagents-free devices, regulatory or Association of Official Analytical Chemists, AOAC, approval) and decisive future actions to achieve the commercialization and acceptance of these devices in our daily routine are also noted at the end.

Electrochemical Detection of Ultratrace Lead Ion through Attaching and Detaching DNA Aptamer from Electrochemically Reduced Graphene Oxide Electrode

This paper describes a simple strategy for the ultratrace level detection of Pb²⁺ ion based on G-quadruplex DNA and an electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) electrode. First, ERGO was formed on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by the reduction of graphene oxide (GO) using cyclic voltammetry. Subsequently, a methylene blue (MB)-tagged, guanine-rich DNA aptamer (Apt) was attached to the surface of ERGO via π-π interaction, leading to the Apt-modified ERGO electrode. The presence of Pb²⁺ could generate the folding of Apt to a G-quadruplex structure. The formation of G-quadruplex resulted in detaching the Apt from the ERGO/GCE, leading to a change in redox current of the MB tag. Electrochemical measurements showed the proposed sensor had an exceptional sensitivity for Pb²⁺ with a linear range from 10^-15 to 10^-9 M and a detection limit of 0.51 fM. The sensor also exhibited high selectivity for Pb²⁺, as well as many other advantages, such as stability, reproducibility, regeneration, as well as simple fabrication and operation processes.

Fluorescence and Naked-Eye Detection of Pb2+ in Drinking Water Using a Low-Cost Ionophore Based Sensing Scheme

Drinking water contamination of lead from various environmental sources, leaching consumer products, and intrinsic water-pipe infrastructure is still today a matter of great concern. Therefore, new highly sensitive and convenient Pb2+ measurement schemes are necessary, especially for in-situ measurements at a low cost. Within this work dye/ionophore/Pb2+ co-extraction and effective water phase de-colorization was utilized for highly sensitive lead measurements and sub-ppb naked-eye detection. A low-cost ionophore Benzo-18-Crown-6-ether was used, and a simple test-tube mix and separate procedure was developed. Instrumental detection limits were in the low ppt region (LOD = 3, LOQ = 10), and naked-eye detection was 500 ppt. Note, however, that this sensing scheme still has improvement potential as concentrations of fluorophore and ionophore were not optimized. Artificial tap-water samples, leached by a standardized method, demonstrated drinking water application. Implications for this method are convenient in-situ lead ion measurements.

A label-free aptasensor for ultrasensitive Pb2+ detection based on electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer between carbon nitride nanofibers and Ru(phen)32

A label-free aptasensor was developed for ultrasensitive detection of Pb²⁺ based on electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (ECL-RET) from graphitic carbon nitride nanofibers (CNNFs) to Ru(phen)₃²⁺. The CNNFs synthesized via a facile two-step hydrolysis-electrolysis strategy showed intense and stable ECL signal by taking advantages of amplifying and stabilizing effect of carbon nanotubes and Au nanoparticles. After the specific hybridation between capture DNA and Pb²⁺ specific aptamer, Ru(phen)₃²⁺ could be captured onto CNNFs modified electrode by effectively intercalating into the grooves of double-strand DNA, thus triggering the ECL-RET and leading to highly enhanced ECL intensity. The presence of Pb²⁺ would result in the detachment of Ru(phen)₃²⁺ and then the inhibition of ECL-RET. Then Pb²⁺ concentration could be quantified based on ECL change before and after introduction of Pb²⁺. The target recycling based on exonuclease I (Exo I) mediated digestion of Pb²⁺-aptamer complex was implemented to further improve the sensitivity. These synergistic amplification strategies enabled the aptasensor to be ultrasensitive for Pb²⁺ determination with a detection limit of 0.04 pM. The proposed probe was utilized to analyze environmental samples with satisfactory results.

Selenium contamination, consequences and remediation techniques in water and soils: A review

Selenium (Se) contamination in surface and ground water in numerous river basins has become a critical problem worldwide in recent years. The exposure to Se, either direct consumption of Se or indirectly may be fatal to the human health because of its toxicity. The review begins with an introduction of Se chemistry, distribution and health threats, which are essential to the remediation techniques. Then, the review provides the recent and common removal techniques for Se, including reduction techniques, phytoremediation, bioremediation, coagulation-flocculation, electrocoagulation (EC), electrochemical methods, adsorption, coprecipitation, electrokinetics, membrance technology, and chemical precipitation. Removal techniques concentrate on the advantages, drawbacks and the recent achievements of each technique. The review also takes an overall consideration of experimental conditions, comparison criteria and economic aspects.

A dual-signal amplification strategy for kanamycin based on ordered mesoporous carbon-chitosan/gold nanoparticles-streptavidin and ferrocene labelled DNA

An ultrasensitive electrochemical aptasensor for kanamycin (KAN) detection was constructed with a dual-signal amplification strategy. The aptasensor achieved greatly amplified sensitivity due to the excellent electrical conductivity of the ordered mesoporous carbon-chitosan (OMC-CS)/gold nanoparticles-streptavidin (AuNPs-SA) and DNA2 labelled with ferrocene (Fc-DNA2). The AuNPs-SA was used to immobilize the DNA strand (biotin labelled) with the biotin-streptavidin system. The DNA2 strand containing the KAN aptamer was labelled with ferrocene to increase the current signal on the electrode surface when bound to KAN. Some factors that affect the performance of the aptasensor were optimized, and the proposed aptasensor provided a wide linear range from 1 × 10^-10 M to 4 × 10^-6 M, with a detection limit as low as 35.69 pM for KAN under the optimized conditions. This aptasensor had satisfactory electrochemical performance with good stability, sensitivity and reproducibility. Additionally, it also displayed a good specificity for KAN without interference from competitive analogues. Furthermore, the constructed aptasensor was successfully used to detect KAN in a real milk sample. The proposed method for KAN detection has great potential for the detection of other antibiotics.

Bimetallic NiFe oxide structures derived from hollow NiFe Prussian blue nanobox for label-free electrochemical biosensing adenosine triphosphate

We designed and constructed a novel aptasensor based on the porous nanostructured bimetallic NiFe-oxides embedded with the mesoporous carbon (represented by NiO_xFeO_y@mC) for sensitively detecting adenosine triphosphate (ATP), of which the porous NiO_xFeO_y@mC was derived from the hollow NiFe Prussian blue analogue (hollow NiFe PBA) by calcinating under high temperature. Owning to the excellent electrochemical activity originated from the metal oxides and mesoporous carbon and the strong binding interaction between the aptamer strands and the nanostructure hybrid, the formed porous NiO_xFeO_y@mC composite calcinated at 900 °C exhibited superior sensitivity toward ATP determination in comparison with other porous nanocubes obtained at 500 and 700 °C. The proposed aptasensor not only revealed a wide linear range from 5.0 fg·mL^-1 to 5.0 ng mL^-1 with a extremely low detection limit of 0.98 fg·mL^-1 (1.62 fM) (S/N = 3), but also displayed high selectivity towards other interferences, good stability and reproducibility, and acceptable applicability. Therefore, this proposed approach provides a promising platform for ultra-sensitive detection of ATP, further having the potential applications on diagnosis of ATP-related diseases.

Cu x O@DNA sphere-based electrochemical bioassay for sensitive detection of Pb2

The paper describes a one-step synthetic method to chemically reduce cupric sulfate by ascorbic acid in the presence of DNA strands to directly produce Cu _x O@DNA spheres. The DNA strands act as template to assist the preparation of Cu _x O, and also are capable of specifically binding  Pb(II) ions. The Cu _x O@DNA spheres possess high specific surface area and strong bioaffinity. They can be directly employed as platform for detecting Pb²⁺ sensitively. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy data showed that the assay exhibits high sensitivity and a wide linear analytical range that extends from 0.1 to 100 nM, and the detection limit is 6.8 pM at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The assay is selective, acceptably reproducible, stable, and well feasible for the detection of Pb²⁺ in blood serum. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of the preparation of DNA-templated Cu _x O spheres (Cu _x O@DNA) for use in electrochemical detection of Pb²⁺. The assay exhibits detection limit of 6.8 pM, high selectivity, acceptable reproducibility, stability, and good applicability for Pb²⁺ detection.

Reusable resistive aptasensor for Pb(II) based on the Pb(II)-induced despiralization of a DNA duplex and formation of a G-quadruplex

The article describes a reusable biosensor for Pb(II) ions. A duplex DNA with a terminal amino group and containing a G-quadruplex (G4) aptamer was covalently conjugated to single walled carbon nanotubes on a field effect transistor (FET). The detection scheme is based on the despiralization of the DNA duplex because Pb(II) can induce the G4 aptamer to form a stabilizing G4/Pb(II) complex. This structural change affects the electrical conductivity of SWNTs which serves as the analytical signal. The biosensor was characterized via scanning electron microscopy, Raman, UV-vis, and voltage-current profiles. Under optimized conditions, the relative resistance at 0.02 V increases linearly with the logarithm of the Pb(II) concentration in the range from 1 ng·L^-1 to 100 μg·L^-1, and the limit of detection is 0.39 ng·L^-1. Compared to other sensors, this oner demonstrates superior simplicity, sensitivity, and selectivity even in mixtures of heavy metal ions. It was applied to the determination of Pb(II) in (spiked) water and soil samples and gave good results. Graphical abstract Schematic of the fabrication a biosensor for Pb(II). It is making use of an SWNT-based FET, G4-DNA and complementary DNA with an amino group. Pb(II) can despiralize the DNA duplex to form a G-quadruplex which affects the electrical conductivity of SWNTs. After each detection, the single complementary strand DNA can rebind the G4-DNA, which makes the biosensor reusable.

Recent Trends on Electrochemical Sensors Based on Ordered Mesoporous Carbon

The past decade has seen an increasing number of extensive studies devoted to the exploitation of ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) materials in electrochemistry, notably in the fields of energy and sensing. The present review summarizes the recent achievements made in field of electroanalysis using electrodes modified with such nanomaterials. On the basis of comprehensive tables, the interest in OMC for designing electrochemical sensors is illustrated through the various applications developed to date. They include voltammetric detection after preconcentration, electrocatalysis (intrinsically due to OMC or based on suitable catalysts deposited onto OMC), electrochemical biosensors, as well as electrochemiluminescence and potentiometric sensors.

Electrochemical biosensing based on protein-directed carbon nanospheres embedded with SnOx and TiO2 nanocrystals for sensitive detection of tobramycin

A series of nanocomposites comprised of homogeneous mesoporous carbon nanospheres embedded with SnO_x (x = 0, 1, or 2) and TiO₂ nanocrystals using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as template followed by calcinated at different temperatures (300, 500, 700, and 900°C) were prepared, and were denoted as SnO_x@TiO₂@mC. Then a novel electrochemical biosensing strategy for detecting tobramycin (TOB) based on the nanocomposites was constructed. The as-prepared SnO_x@TiO₂@mC nanocomposites not only possess high specific surface area and good electrochemical activity but also exhibit strong bioaffinity with the aptamer strands, therefore, they were applied as the scaffold for anchoring TOB-targeted aptamer and further used to sensitively detect trace TOB in aqueous solutions. By comparing the electrochemical biosensing responses toward TOB detection based on the four SnO_x@TiO₂@mC nanocomposites, the biosensing system constructed with SnO_x@TiO₂@mC₉₀₀ (derived at 900°C) demonstrated the highest determination efficiency, high selectivity, and good stability. In particular, the new proposed aptasensing method based on SnO_x@TiO₂@mC nanocomposite exhibits considerable potential for the quantitative detection of TOB in the biomedical field.

Insight into highly efficient co-removal of p-nitrophenol and lead by nitrogen-functionalized magnetic ordered mesoporous carbon: Performance and modelling

Highly efficient simultaneous removal of Pb(II) and p-nitrophenol (PNP) contamination from water was accomplished by nitrogen-functionalized magnetic ordered mesoporous carbon (N-Fe/OMC). The mutual effects and inner mechanisms of their adsorption onto N-Fe/OMC were systematically investigated by sole and binary systems, and thermodynamic, sorption isotherm and adsorption kinetics models. The liquid-film diffusion step might be the rate-limiting step for PNP and Pb(II). The fitting of experimental data with Temkin model indicates that the adsorption process of PNP and Pb(II) involve physisorption and chemisorption. There exist site competition and enhancement of PNP and Pb(II) on the sorption to N-Fe/OMC. Moreover, N-Fe/OMC could be regenerated effectively and recycled by using dilute NaOH and acetone. These demonstrated superior properties of N-Fe/OMC indicate that it could be applied to treatment of wastewaters containing both lead and PNP.

Simultaneous removal of atrazine and copper using polyacrylic acid-functionalized magnetic ordered mesoporous carbon from water: adsorption mechanism

Highly efficient simultaneous removal of atrazine and Cu(II) was accomplished using synthesized polyacrylic acid-functionalized magnetic ordered mesoporous carbon (P-MMC) as compared to magnetic ordered mesoporous carbon (MMC) and ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC). The mutual effects and interactive mechanism of their adsorption onto P-MMC were investigated systematically by binary, preloading and thermodynamic adsorption procedures. In both binary and preloading systems, the adsorption of atrazine was inhibited to some extent by the presence of Cu(II) because of selective recognition and direct competition, but the presence of atrazine had negligible effect on Cu(II) desorption. With the coexistence of humic acid (0–20 mg L⁻¹), both atrazine and Cu(II) sorption increased slightly in sole and binary systems. With the concentration of coexisting NaCl increasing from 0 to 100 mM, the adsorption capacity for Cu(II) slightly decreased, but as for atrazine adsorption, it decreased at first, and then increased slightly in sole and binary systems. P-MMC was applied to treat real environmental samples, and the sorption capacities for atrazine and Cu(II) in real samples were all more than 91.47% and 96.43% of those in lab ultrapure water, respectively. Finally, comprehensively considering the relatively good renewability and the superior behavior in the application to real water samples, P-MMC has potential in removal of atrazine, Cu(II) and possibly other persistent organic pollutants from wastewater.

How cutting-edge technologies impact the design of electrochemical (bio)sensors for environmental analysis. A review

Through the years, scientists have developed cutting-edge technologies to make (bio)sensors more convenient for environmental analytical purposes. Technological advancements in the fields of material science, rational design, microfluidics, and sensor printing, have radically shaped biosensor technology, which is even more evident in the continuous development of sensing systems for the monitoring of hazardous chemicals. These efforts will be crucial in solving some of the problems constraining biosensors to reach real environmental applications, such as continuous analyses in field by means of multi-analyte portable devices. This review (with 203 refs.) covers the progress between 2010 and 2015 in the field of technologies enabling biosensor applications in environmental analysis, including i) printing technology, ii) nanomaterial technology, iii) nanomotors, iv) biomimetic design, and (v) microfluidics. Next section describes futuristic cutting-edge technologies that are gaining momentum in recent years, which furnish highly innovative aspects to biosensing devices.

Designing a Biostable L-DNAzyme for Lead(II) Ion Detection in Practical Samples

A promising biosensor for effectively lead (II) ion detection in practical applications was developed by constructing a Pb2+-specific L-DNAzyme, the enantiomer of the natural nucleic acid-constructed D-DNAzyme. This fluorescent sensor contains the L-enzyme strand with a quencher at the 3' end, and the L-substrate strand with a fluorophore at the 5' and a quencher at the 3' ends that formed a complex. In the presence of Pb2+, the L-substrate is cut into two fragments, leading to the recovery of fluorescence. The sensor shows high sensitivity and selectivity for Pb2+ detection with a linear response in the range of 5-100 nM and a detection limit of 3 nM in aqueous solution. Importantly, based on that L-DNAzyme consists of non-natural nucleic acids, which is insensitive to nuclease digestion, protein adsorption and D-DNA hybridization, our sensor shows specific response to Pb2+ in practical water and serum samples. Therefore, it is expected that our L-DNAzyme-based strategy may offer a new method for developing simple, rapid and sensitive sensors in complex systems.

Nanoporous Au-based chronocoulometric aptasensor for amplified detection of Pb(2+) using DNAzyme modified with Au nanoparticles

The authors herein described an amplified detection strategy employing nanoporous Au (NPG) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to detect Pb(2+) ions in aqueous solution. The thiol modified Pb(2+)-specific DNAzyme was self-assembled onto the surface of the NPG modified electrode for hybridizing with the AuNPs labeled oligonucleotide and for forming the DNA double helix structure. Electrochemical signal, redox charge of hexaammineruthenium(III) chloride (RuHex), was measured by chronocoulometry. Taking advantage of amplification effects of the NPG electrode for increasing the reaction sites of capture probe and DNA-AuNPs complexes for bringing about the adsorption of large numbers of RuHex molecules, this electrochemical sensor could detect Pb(2+) quantitatively, in the range of 0.05-100nM, with a limit of detection as low as 0.012nM. Selectivity measurements revealed that the sensor was specific for Pb(2+) even with interference by high concentrations of other metal ions. This sensor was also used to detect Pb(2+) ions from samples of tap water, river water, and landfill leachate samples spiked with Pb(2+) ions, and the results showed good agreement with the found values determined by an atomic fluorescence spectrometer. This simple aptasensor represented a promising potential for on-site detecting Pb(2+) in drinking water.

Determination of Cd2+ and Pb2+ Based on Mesoporous Carbon Nitride/Self-Doped Polyaniline Nanofibers and Square Wave Anodic Stripping Voltammetry

The fabrication and evaluation of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with self-doped polyaniline nanofibers (SPAN)/mesoporous carbon nitride (MCN) and bismuth for simultaneous determination of trace Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ by square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) are presented here. The morphology properties of SPAN and MCN were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the electrochemical properties of the fabricated electrode were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Experimental parameters, such as deposition time, pulse potential, step potential, bismuth concentration and NaCl concentration, were optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the fabricated electrode exhibited linear calibration curves ranging from 5 to 80 nM for Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺. The limits of detection (LOD) were 0.7 nM for Cd²⁺ and 0.2 nM for Pb²⁺ (S/N = 3). Additionally, the repeatability, reproducibility, anti-interference ability and application were also investigated, and the proposed electrode exhibited excellent performance. The proposed method could be extended for other heavy metal determination.

DNAzyme catalytic beacons-based a label-free biosensor for copper using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

In this study, we developed a novel selective method for copper quantification based on gold nanoclusters (GNCs) and DNAzyme.

An ultrasensitive aptasensor for chlorpyrifos based on ordered mesoporous carbon/ferrocene hybrid multiwalled carbon nanotubes

In this study, we designed a novel and ultrasensitive aptamer sensor for the quantitative detection of chlorpyrifos.

A novel biosensor for silver(i) ion detection based on nanoporous gold and duplex-like DNA scaffolds with anionic intercalator

A novel biosensor for silver(i) ion detection based on nanoporous gold and duplex-like DNA scaffolds with anionic intercalator.