title: Fluorescent detection of Hg2+ and Pb2+ using GeneFinder™ and an integrated functional nucleic acid.
abstract: This paper reports a simple fluorescent assay for the determination of Hg(2+) and Pb(2+) by using a DNA intercalator GeneFinder™ (GF) and an integrated functional nucleic acid (FNA). In the absence of Hg(2+) and Pb(2+), GF intercalated with the FNA and released moderate strong fluorescence. While in the presence of Hg(2+) or Pb(2+), the FNA would be induced to form T-Hg(2+)-T or G-quadruplex structure, interacted with which the GF would exhibit extremely strong or very weak fluorescence. By monitoring the fluorescence changes upon addition of these two ions, the Hg(2+) and Pb(2+) could be selectively detected as low as 3.23 ppb and 2.62 ppb. As the main advantage of this assay is simplicity and the feasibility was demonstrated by detecting Hg(2+) and Pb(2+) in spiked water samples, this assay holds great potential for the development of a cost effective and useful tool for environmental monitoring.
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering; Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), Ministry of Agriculture; School of Agriculture and Biology, and Bor S. Luh Food Safety Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
authors.forename: Shenshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering; Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), Ministry of Agriculture; School of Agriculture and Biology, and Bor S. Luh Food Safety Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
authors.forename: Hanchu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, PR China.
authors.forename: Dongwei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, PR China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering; Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), Ministry of Agriculture; School of Agriculture and Biology, and Bor S. Luh Food Safety Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
authors.forename: Xuejia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering; Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), Ministry of Agriculture; School of Agriculture and Biology, and Bor S. Luh Food Safety Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
authors.forename: Lumei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering; Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), Ministry of Agriculture; School of Agriculture and Biology, and Bor S. Luh Food Safety Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering; Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), Ministry of Agriculture; School of Agriculture and Biology, and Bor S. Luh Food Safety Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China. Electronic address: zhoupei@sjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002413:Cations, Divalent / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D054856:G-Quadruplexes; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002413:Cations, Divalent; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009696:Nucleic Acids; D014867:Water; D007854:Lead; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Fluorescent assay; Functional nucleic acid; G-quadruplex; Hg(2+) detection; Pb(2+) detection; T–Hg(2+)–T