Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An electrochemical aptasensor based on gold@polypyrrole composites for detection of lead ions

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Microchimica Acta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This work describes an electrochemical aptasensor for determination of lead ions (Pb2+). Composites prepared from gold nanoparticles and polypyrrole (Au@PPy) with good electrical conductivity were used to modify the surface of a screen printed carbon electrode for amplifying the current signal. Single strand DNA was immobilized on the electrode and binds lead(II) as confirmed by cyclic voltammetry at voltage of −0.2 V~0.6 V. Differential pulse voltammetry, measured at 0.10 V (vs.  Ag/AgCl), was used to monitor the interaction between aptamer and lead(II) using hexacyanoferrate as an electrochemical probe. In the presence of Pb2+, the aptamer forms a G-quadruplex, and the peak current is increased. By this method, Pb2+ can be detected in the range of 0.5–10 nM with a low detection limit of 0.36 nM. The aptasensor was successfully applied to the determination of Pb2+ in polluted soil and baby’s nail. The method showed outstanding sensitivity and selectivity in detecting Pb2+, therefore is considered to have great potential in developing an environmental monitoring platform.

Schematic illustration of Pb2+ detection procedure and principle using an electrochemical aptasensor.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Scheme 1
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Feist B, Sitko R (2017) Method for the determination of Pb, Cd, Zn, Mn and Fe in rice samples using carbon nanotubes and cationic complexes of batophenanthroline. Food Chem 249:38–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Gao S, Xu C, Yalikun N, Mamat X, Li Y, Wågberg T, Hu X, Liu J, Luo J, Hu G (2017) Sensitive and selective differential pulse voltammetry detection of Cd(II) and Pb(II) using nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanofiber film electrode. J Electrochem Soc 164:H967–H974

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Yan M, Zhu C, Huang Y, Yan J, Chen A (2017) Ultrasensitive detection of lead(II) using a turn-on probe based on the use of an aptamer and a water-soluble fluorescent perylene probe. Microchim Acta:1–6

  4. Zhan S, Xu H, Zhang D, Xia B, Zhan X, Wang L, Lv J, Zhou P (2015) Fluorescent detection of Hg2+ and Pb2+ using GeneFinder™ and an integrated functional nucleic acid. Biosens Bioelectron 72(Supplement C):95–99

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Taghdisi SM, Danesh NM, Ramezani M, Alibolandi M, Abnous K (2017) Voltammetric determination of lead(II) by using exonuclease III and gold nanoparticles, and by exploiting the conformational change of the complementary strand of an aptamer. Microchim Acta 184(8):2783–2790

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Rehan I, Gondal MA, Rehan K (2018) Determination of lead content in drilling fueled soil using laser induced spectral analysis and its cross validation using ICP/OES method. Talanta 182:443–449

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Barbaste M, Halicz L, Galy A, Medina B, Emteborg H, Adams FC, Lobinski R (2001) Evaluation of the accuracy of the determination of lead isotope ratios in wine by ICP MS using quadrupole, multicollector magnetic sector and time-of-flight analyzers. Talanta 54(2):307–317

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Qi Y, Xiu F-R, Yu G, Huang L, Li B (2017) Simple and rapid chemiluminescence aptasensor for Hg2+ in contaminated samples: a new signal amplification mechanism. Biosens Bioelectron 87:439–446

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Song HY, Kang TF, Jiang MF, Zhang JJ, Cheng SY (2017) A novel strategy based on DNAzyme for electrochemiluminescence detection of Pb(II) with P-GO@QDs for signal amplification. J Electroanal Chem 801:244–250

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Ma H, Li X, Yan T, Li Y, Zhang Y, Wu D, Wei Q, Du B (2016) Electrochemiluminescent immunosensing of prostate-specific antigen based on silver nanoparticles-doped Pb(II) metal-organic framework. Biosens Bioelectron 79:379–385

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Sadeghi AS, Mohsenzadeh M, Abnous K, Taghdisi SM, Ramezani M (2018) Development and characterization of DNA aptamers against florfenicol: fabrication of a sensitive fluorescent aptasensor for specific detection of florfenicol in milk. Talanta 182:193–201

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Pur MRK, Hosseini M, Faridbod F, Ganjali MR, Hosseinkhani S (2018) Early detection of cell apoptosis by a cytochrome C label-free electrochemiluminescence aptasensor. Sensors Actuators B Chem 257:87–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Zhan X, Hu G, Wagberg T, Zhan S, Xu H, Zhou P (2016) Electrochemical aptasensor for tetracycline using a screen-printed carbon electrode modified with an alginate film containing reduced graphene oxide and magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles. Microchim Acta 183(2):723–729

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Guo L, Nie D, Qiu C, Zheng Q, Wu H, Ye P, Hao Y, Fu F, Chen G (2012) A G-quadruplex based label-free fluorescent biosensor for lead ion. Biosens Bioelectron 35(1):123–127

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Tan L, Chen Z, Zhao Y, Wei X, Li Y, Zhang C, Wei X, Hu X (2016) Dual channel sensor for detection and discrimination of heavy metal ions based on colorimetric and fluorescence response of the AuNPs-DNA conjugates. Biosens Bioelectron 85:414–421

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Zhang D, Yin L, Meng Z, Yu A, Guo L, Wang H (2014) A sensitive fluorescence anisotropy method for detection of lead(II) ion by a G-quadruplex-inducible DNA aptamer. Anal Chim Acta 812:161–167

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Liang A, Wei Y, Wen G, Yin W, Jiang Z (2013) A new resonance Rayleigh scattering method for trace Pb, coupling the hydride generation reaction with nanogold formation. RSC Adv 3(31):12585–12588

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Zang Y, Lei J, Hao Q, Ju H (2014) “Signal-on” Photoelectrochemical sensing strategy based on target-dependent aptamer conformational conversion for selective detection of Lead(II) ion. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 6(18):15991–15997

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Abnous K, Danesh NM, Ramezani M, Alibolandi M, Hassanabad KY, Emrani AS, Bahreyni A, Taghdisi SM (2017) A triple-helix molecular switch-based electrochemical aptasensor for interferon-gamma using a gold electrode and methylene blue as a redox probe. Microchim Acta 184(10):4151–4157

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Amal Raj M, Brillians Revin S, Abraham John S (2011) Selective determination of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid in the presence of ascorbic acid using 4-(dimethylamino) pyridine capped gold nanoparticle immobilized on gold electrode. Colloids Surf B: Biointerfaces 87:353–360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Jiang L, Wang Z, Geng D, Lin Y, Wang Y, An J, He J, Li D, Liu W, Zhang Z (2015) Structure and electromagnetic properties of both regular and defective onion-like carbon nanoparticles. Carbon 95:910–918

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. García-Fernández MJ, Pastor-Blas MM, Epron F, Sepúlveda-Escribano A (2018) Proposed mechanisms for the removal of nitrate from water by platinum catalysts supported on polyaniline and polypyrrole. Appl Catal B Environ 225:162–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Tian L, Qian K, Qi J, Liu Q, Yao C, Song W, Wang Y (2018) Gold nanoparticles superlattices assembly for electrochemical biosensor detection of microRNA-21. Biosens Bioelectron 99(Supplement C):564–570

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Vellaichamy B, Ponniah SK, Prakash P (2017) An in-situ synthesis of novel Au@NG-PPy nanocomposite for enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward selective and sensitive sensing of catechol in natural samples. Sensors Actuators B Chem 253(Supplement C):392–399

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Mahmoudian MR, Basirun WJ, Alias Y (2011) Synthesis of polypyrrole/Ni-doped TiO2 nanocomposites (NCs) as a protective pigment in organic coating. Prog Org Coat 71(1):56–64

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Feng X, Huang H, Ye Q, Zhu J-J, Hou W (2007) Ag/polypyrrole core− shell nanostructures: interface polymerization, characterization, and modification by gold nanoparticles. J Phys Chem C 111(24):8463–8468

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Taghdisi SM, Danesh NM, Lavaee P, Ramezani M, Abnous K (2015) An aptasensor for selective, sensitive and fast detection of lead(II) based on polyethyleneimine and gold nanoparticles. 39:1206–1211

  28. Pang S, Liu S, Su X (2015) An ultrasensitive sensing strategy for the detection of lead(II) ions based on the intermolecular G-quadruplex and graphene oxide. Sensors Actuators B Chem 208:415–420

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Chen Y, Li HH, Gao T, Zhang TT, Xu LJ, Wang B, Wang J, Pei RJ (2018) Selection of DNA aptamers for the development of light-up biosensor to detect Pb(II). Sensors Actuators B Chem 254:214–221

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program (No. 2016YFD0800807, No. 2016YFD0801106), “Keyan Program” supported by Shanghai Scientific and Technological Committee (No. 16DZ2281400), the National Nature Science Foundations of China (No. 31702003), Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (No. 2017QNRC001), “Chenguang Program” supported by Shanghai Education Development Foundation and Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (No. 17CG07) and Yunnan expert workstation (No. 2017IC071).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Agriculture and Biology & Key Laboratory of Urban Agriculture (South), Ministry of Agriculture, Bor S. Luh Food Safety Research Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200240, People’s Republic of China

    Jina Ding, Yang liu, Dongwei Zhang, Minglei Yu, Xuejia Zhan, Dan Zhang & Pei Zhou

Authors
  1. Jina Ding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yang liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dongwei Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Minglei Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xuejia Zhan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Dan Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Pei Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Dan Zhang or Pei Zhou.

Ethics declarations

The author(s) declare that they have no competing interests.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 368 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ding, J., liu, Y., Zhang, D. et al. An electrochemical aptasensor based on gold@polypyrrole composites for detection of lead ions. Microchim Acta 185, 545 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-018-3068-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-018-3068-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation