Nucleic acid-modulated silver nanoparticles: a new electrochemical platform for sensing chloride ion

Analyst. 2011 Sep 21;136(18):3629-34. doi: 10.1039/c1an15283a. Epub 2011 Jul 26.

Abstract

Inorganic nanomaterials have generated considerable interest in connection to the design of biosensors. Here we exploit the DNA-induced generation of silver nanoparticles for developing an electrical biosensing protocol for chloride ions. Conjugated with thiol modified oligonucleotide, silver nanoparticles were template-synthesized and immobilized on gold electrode. During cyclic voltammogram (CV) scans, the silver nanoparticles were oxidized at high potential to form a layer of Ag/AgCl complex in the presence of Cl(-), giving off sharp solid state redox signals. Under the optimum condition, the electrode responded to Cl(-) over a dynamic range of 2.0 × 10(-5)-0.01 M, with a detection limit of 5.0 × 10(-6) M. Moreover, the specific solubility product constant-based anion recognition made the electrode applicable at a wide pH range and in complex biological systems. To demonstrate the analytical applications of this sensor in real samples, the Cl(-) concentrations in human urine were measured without any sample pretreatment. Urinary Cl(-) detected by the proposed sensor ranged from 110 to 200 mM, which was comparable to the results obtained by standard silver titration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biosensing Techniques
  • Chlorides / urine*
  • Electrochemical Techniques / methods*
  • Electrodes
  • Humans
  • Ions / chemistry
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Metal Nanoparticles / ultrastructure
  • Oligonucleotides / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Silver / chemistry*

Substances

  • Chlorides
  • Ions
  • Oligonucleotides
  • Silver