title: A facile, sensitive, and highly specific trinitrophenol assay based on target-induced synergetic effects of acid induction and electron transfer towards DNA-templated copper nanoclusters.
abstract: Reliable, selective and sensitive approaches for trinitrophenol (TNP) detection are highly desirable with respect to national security and environmental protection. Herein, a simple and novel fluorescent strategy for highly sensitive and specific TNP assay has been successfully developed, which is based on the quenching of the fluorescent poly(thymine)-templated copper nanoclusters (DNA-CuNCs), through the synergetic effects of acid induction and electron transfer. Upon the addition of TNP, donor-acceptor complexes between the electron-deficient nitro-groups in TNP and the electron-donating DNA templates are formed, resulting in the close proximity between TNP and CuNCs. Moreover, the acidity of TNP contributes to the pH decrease of the system. These factors combine to dramatically quench the fluorescence of DNA-CuNCs, providing a "signal-off" strategy for TNP sensing. The as-proposed strategy demonstrates high sensitivity for TNP assay, and a detection limit of 0.03μM is obtained, which is lower than those reported by using organic fluorescent materials. More significantly, this approach shows outstanding selectivity over a number of TNP analogues, such as 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT), 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), 3-nitrophenol (NP), nitrobenzene (NB), phenol (BP), and toluene (BT). Compared with previous studies, this method does not need complex DNA sequence design, fluorescent dye labeling, or sophisticated organic reactions, rendering the strategy with additional advantages of simplicity and cost-effectiveness. In addition, the as-proposed strategy has been adopted for the detection of TNP in natural water samples, indicating its great potential to be applied in the fields of public safety and environmental monitoring.
authors: College of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109 People's Republic of China.
authors: Haiyin
authors: H
authors: Li
authors: College of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109 People's Republic of China.
authors: Jiafu
authors: J
authors: Chang
authors: College of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109 People's Republic of China.
authors: Ting
authors: T
authors: Hou
authors: College of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109 People's Republic of China. Electronic address: lge@qau.edu.cn.
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Ge
authors: College of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109 People's Republic of China. Electronic address: lifeng@qust.edu.cn.
authors: Feng
authors: F
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D060106:Lakes / Q000737:chemistry; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D009596:Nitrophenols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009596:Nitrophenols; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003300:Copper; D004247:DNA; C049017:3-nitrophenol
keywords: Acid induction; Copper nanoclusters; Electron transfer; Quenching; Trinitrophenol