title: An electrochemical DNA biosensor for trace amounts of mercury ion quantification.
abstract: In this work we report the development of an electrochemical DNA biosensor with high sensitivity for mercury ion detection. A new matrix based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)-glutathione (GSH)/cysteine was investigated. The interaction between DNA oligonucleotides and Hg2+ions followed by the formation of Thymine-Hg2+-Thymine (T-Hg2+-T) structures was quantified using different electrochemical methods. It has been shown that the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements and the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) confirmed the specific interaction between the oligonucleotide receptor layer and the Hg2+ions. Besides, the developed sensor exhibited high sensitivity towards mercury among some examined metal ions such as Pb2+, Cu2+and Cd2+. As a result, a high electrochemical response and low detection limit of 50 pM were estimated in the case of Hg2+ions. The developed DNA biosensor was applied successfully to the determination of Hg2+ions in wastewater samples.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Interfaces and Advanced Materials, Faculty of Sciences, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ferdaous
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maâtouk
authors.affiliation: Research Unit 03/UR/07 'Autoimmunity and Allergy', Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mouna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maâtouk
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Analysis, Treatment and Valorisation of Pollutants of Environment and of Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Karima
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bekir
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Interfaces and Advanced Materials, Faculty of Sciences, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Houcine
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Barhoumi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Interfaces and Advanced Materials, Faculty of Sciences, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Abderrazak
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maaref
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Analysis and Process Applied to the Environmental - APAE Higher Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology Mahdia, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia E-mail: hdbenmansour@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hedi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ben Mansour
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D058266:Dielectric Spectroscopy; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D007477:Ions / Q000032:analysis; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D007477:Ions; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D004247:DNA; D008628:Mercury