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A novel smartphone-based electrochemical cell sensor for evaluating the toxicity of heavy metal ions Cd2+, Hg2+, and Pb2+ in rice

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Abstract

A novel smartphone-based electrochemical cell sensor was developed to evaluate the toxicity of heavy metal ions, such as cadmium (Cd2+), lead (Pb2+), and mercury (Hg2+) ions on Hep G2 cells. The cell sensor was fabricated with reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) composites to greatly improve the biological adaptability and amplify the electrochemical signals. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was employed to measure the electrical signals induced by the toxicity of heavy metal ions. The results showed that Cd2+, Hg2+, and Pb2+ significantly reduced the viability of Hep G2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The IC50 values obtained by this method were 49.83, 36.94, and 733.90 μM, respectively. A synergistic effect was observed between Cd2+ and Pb2+ and between Hg2+ and Pb2+, and an antagonistic effect was observed between Cd2+ and Hg2+, and an antagonistic effect at low doses and an additive effect at high doses were found in the ternary mixtures of Cd2+, Hg2+, and Pb2+. These electrochemical results were confirmed via MTT assay, SEM and TEM observation, and flow cytometry. Therefore, this new electrochemical cell sensor provided a more convenient, sensitive, and flexible toxicity assessment strategy than traditional cytotoxicity assessment methods.

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Funding

This work was supported by The National Key Research and Development Program of China (2020YFC1606801), Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20180160), Special Program of the State Administration for Market Regulation (2019YJ047), and Science and Technology Program of Nanjing Administration for Market Regulation (Kj2019042).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Food Science and Engineering/Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Grain Circulation and Safety/Key Laboratory of Grains and Oils Quality Control and Processing, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China

    Donglei Jiang, Kaikai Sheng, Guoyue Gui & Lifeng Wang

  2. Nanjing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Nanjing, 211198, Jiangsu, China

    Hui Jiang & Xinmei Liu

Authors
  1. Donglei Jiang
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  2. Kaikai Sheng
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  3. Guoyue Gui
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  4. Hui Jiang
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  5. Xinmei Liu
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  6. Lifeng Wang
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Correspondence to Lifeng Wang.

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Jiang, D., Sheng, K., Gui, G. et al. A novel smartphone-based electrochemical cell sensor for evaluating the toxicity of heavy metal ions Cd2+, Hg2+, and Pb2+ in rice. Anal Bioanal Chem 413, 4277–4287 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-021-03379-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-021-03379-4

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