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G-quadruplex DNA-based colorimetric biosensor for the ultrasensitive visual detection of strontium ions using MnO2 nanorods as oxidase mimetics

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Abstract

Strontium-90 (90Sr) is a major radioactive component that has attracted great attention, but its detection remains challenging since there are no specific energy rays indicative of its presence. Herein, a biosensor that is capable of rapidly detecting Sr2+ ions is demonstrated. Simple colorimetric method for sensitive detection of Sr2+ with the help of single-stranded DNA was developed by preparing MnO2 nanorods as oxidase mimic catalysis 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). Under weakly acidic conditions, MnO2 exhibited a strong oxidase-mimicking activity to oxidize colorless TMB into blue oxidation products (oxTMB) with discernible absorbance signals. Nevertheless, the introduction of a guanine-rich DNA aptamer inhibited MnO2-mediated TMB oxidation and reduced oxTMB formation, resulting in blue fading and diminished absorbance. Upon the addition of strontium ions to the system, the aptamers formed a stable G-quadruplex structure with strontium ions, thereby restoring the oxidase-mimicking activity of MnO2. Under the best experimental conditions, the absorbance exhibits a linear relationship with the Sr2+ concentration within the range 0.01–200 μM, with a limit of detection of 0.0028 µM. When the concentration of Sr2+ from 10−8 to 10−6 mol L−1, a distinct color change gradient could be observed in paper-based sensor. We successfully applied this approach to determine Sr2+ in natural water samples, obtaining recoveries ranging from 97.6 to 103% with a relative standard deviation of less than 5%. By providing technical solutions for detection, our work contributed to the effective monitoring of transportation of radioactive Sr in the environment.

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Data Availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article (and its supplementary information files). The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

The study was partially funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11805101 and No. 51908240); the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 30921013110); Chinese Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2022M711631); the Provincial Ecological Environment Research Project of Jiangsu (No. 2022017); the Opening Foundation of Key Laboratory for Palygorskite Science and Applied Technology of Jiangsu Province (No. HPK202001); and the Open Fund by Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control (No. KHK2210).

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Author notes

  1. Yiting Chen and Chunhui Gong contribute equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China

    Yiting Chen, Chunhui Gong, Kaiwei Chen, Ziwei Wang, Peng Wang & Yi Yang

  2. Department of General Education, Army Engineering University of PLA, Nanjing, 211101, China

    Manli He

  3. Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control (AEMPC), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China

    Kai Chen, Yan Jiao & Yi Yang

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  1. Yiting Chen
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Chen, Y., Gong, C., Chen, K. et al. G-quadruplex DNA-based colorimetric biosensor for the ultrasensitive visual detection of strontium ions using MnO2 nanorods as oxidase mimetics. Microchim Acta 191, 213 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-024-06293-5

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