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Colorimetric determination of melamine based on the reversal of the mercury(II) induced inhibition of the light-triggered oxidase-like activity of gold nanoclusters

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Abstract

We describe a colorimetric assay for the quantitation of melamine (MA). It relies on the observation that MA reverses the inhibition of the light-triggered activity of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) functionalized gold nanoclusters (HRP-Au NCs) by Hg(II) ions. The HRP-Au NCs catalyze the oxidation of the substrate 3,3’,5,5’-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by dissolved oxygen if exposed to visible light provided by a 300 W Xe lamp (λ ≥ 400 nm). The addition of Hg(II) suppresses the enzymatic activity due to the metallophilic interaction between Hg(II) and Au(I) present on the surface of the HRP-Au NCs. MA with its triazole ring can restore the catalytic activity of the HRP-Au NCs by inhibiting the metallophilic interaction. As a result of these findings, a colorimetric “turn-on” assay for MA was worked out that can be used to determine MA in the 0.2 to 15 μmol·L−1 concentration range and with a 72 nmol·L−1 detection limit, which is much lower than the established safety limit. The method was successfully applied to the quantitation of MA in (spiked) raw milk and milk powder, with recoveries ranging from 98.5 % to 101.5 %.

We describe a colorimetric assay for the quantitation of melamine (MA). It relies on the observation that MA reverses the inhibition of the light-triggered activity of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) functionalized gold nanoclusters (HRP-Au NCs) by Hg(II) ions.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China (21275065), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (JUSRP51314B) and the Opening Foundation of the State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science of Nanjing University (KLACLS1008).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Key Laboratory of Food Colloids and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People’s Republic of China

    Gen-Xia Cao, Xiu-Ming Wu, Yu-Ming Dong, Zai-Jun Li & Guang-Li Wang

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  1. Gen-Xia Cao
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  2. Xiu-Ming Wu
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  3. Yu-Ming Dong
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  4. Zai-Jun Li
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Correspondence to Guang-Li Wang.

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Cao, GX., Wu, XM., Dong, YM. et al. Colorimetric determination of melamine based on the reversal of the mercury(II) induced inhibition of the light-triggered oxidase-like activity of gold nanoclusters. Microchim Acta 183, 441–448 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1669-3

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