DNA controllable peroxidase-like activity of Ti3C2 nanosheets for colorimetric detection of microcystin-LR

Recent advances in MXene nanozyme-based optical and electrochemical biosensors for food safety analysis

The importance of nanotechnology is increasing every day in different fields and, especially, the application of nanomaterials has attracted considerable attention in food safety. Among different nanomaterials, MXenes, which are two-dimensional (2D) transition metal-based layered materials made of nitrides and carbides, have revolutionized various fields as a cutting-edge scientific discovery in nanotechnology. These materials have been widely used in the structure of biosensors and sensors due to their excellent metallic conductivity, mechanical stability, optical absorbance, good redox capability, and higher heterogeneous electron transfer rate. In particular, the application of MXenes as nanozymes has highlighted their high performance to a great extent in biosensor domains. The growing interest in these nanozymes is attributed to their specific physicochemical features. The key enzymatic features of these materials include activities similar to oxidase, peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. In this review, initially, several common synthesis methods of MXenes are presented, emphasizing their significant role as nanozymes in constructing efficient sensors. Subsequently, several common applications of MXene nanozymes in food safety analysis are delved into, including the detection of bacteria, mycotoxins, antibiotic residues, and pesticide residues, along with their applications in different electrochemical and optical biosensors. In addition, the gap, limitation, and future perspective of these novel nanozymes in food safety are highlighted.

Selective colorimetric detection of carbosulfan based on its hydrolysis behavior and Ti3C2/AuPt nanozyme

BACKGROUND

Carbosulfan (CBS) is a widely used carbamate pesticide in agricultural production, its easy decomposition into hypertoxic carbofuran poses serious threats to human health and food safety. Therefore, sensitive and accurate detection of CBS is of significant importance. Conventional chromatography-based techniques require expensive instruments and complicated sample pretreatment, limiting their application for fast detection. Current electrochemical and colorimetric methods for detection of pesticides based on the cascade catalytic reactions between acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and nanozymes, which exhibit inferior selectivity. Hence, selective, sensitive and fast detection of CBS is still challenging.

RESULTS

In this work, an AChE-free colorimetric method was proposed for selective detection of CBS based on its unique hydrolysis behavior and nanozyme. Ti3C2 nanosheets/AuPt nanoparticles (Ti3C2/AuPt NPs) with enhanced peroxidase-like activity were prepared via one-step self-reduction reaction. CBS can be hydrolyzed under acidic condition and produce -SH moieties, which could bond to Pt atoms of Ti3C2/AuPt NPs and shield the active sites of nanozyme, resulting in decreased catalytic activity. Based on the inhibitory effect on the peroxidase-like activity of Ti3C2/AuPt NPs, a colorimetric method was proposed for direct detection of CBS. Under optimal conditions, the method showed wide linear range (0.5 ng mL-1-5 μg mL-1), low limit of detection (0.342 nM), good selectivity and anti-interference ability. The feasibility of this method for practical use was confirmed by analysis of CBS in real lake water samples.

SIGNIFICANCE

This work proposed a simple colorimetric method for selective and fast detection of CBS, which avoided employing AChE and cascade catalytic reactions, significantly lowering the detection cost and improving detection efficiency. The method showed great potential for accurate detection of CBS in actual samples, and provided a new avenue for developing nanozyme-based colorimetric method for detection of other pesticide residues.

Electronic structure modulation of ultrathin PtRuMoCoNi high-entropy alloy nanowires for boosting peroxidase-like activity and sensitive colorimetric determination of isoniazid and hydrazine

Self-supported ultrathin PtRuMoCoNi high-entropy alloy nanowires (HEANWs) were synthesized by a one-pot co-reduction method, whose peroxidase (POD)-like activity and catalytic mechanism were elaborated in detail. As expected, the PtRuMoCoNi HEANWs showed excellent POD-like activity. It can quickly catalyze the oxidization of colorless 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to blue OXTMB through decomposition of H2O2 to superoxide radicals. Notably, isoniazid and hydrazine effectively scavenge the as-produced superoxide radicals and reduce the blue OXTMB, showing high reduction ability and antioxidant property. Thus, the PtRuMoCoNi HEANW-derived colorimetric method was developed for determination of isoniazid and hydrazine, which exhibited the linear ranges of 1.5 to 50 μM and 25 to 200 μM coupled with the lower detection limits of 2.3 and 12.6 μM for isoniazid and hydrazine, respectively. The excellent analytical performance mainly results from the synergistic catalytic effect of the multiple metals and distinctive ultra-thin nanowires. This work provides a simple and rapid colorimetric method for the determination of isoniazid and hydrazine in actual samples.

Colorimetric aptasensor utilizing MOF-235 with exceptional peroxidase-like activity for the detection of oxytetracycline residues in raw milk

In this work, a simple, convenient and cost-effective colorimetric aptasensor was successfully constructed for the detection of antibiotic residues in raw milk based on the property that aptamer (Apt) synergistically enhances the catalase-like activity of MOF-235. Under optimised conditions, the proposed colorimetric aptasensor exhibited a wide detection range (15-1500 nM) with a low detection limit (6.92 nM). Furthermore, the proposed aptasensor demonstrated high selectivity, good resistance to interference and storage stability. The proposed aptasensor was validated by spiking recovery in camel milk, cow milk and goat milk with satisfactory recoveries, which demonstrated the great potential of the aptasensor for further application in real food samples, and also suggested that MOF-235 can be used as a potential universal platform to build a sensitive detection platform for other targets.

CeO2 nanocages with tetra-enzyme mimetic activities for dual-channel ratiometric colorimetric detection of microcystins-LR

BACKGROUND

Microcystin-leucine-arginine (MC-LR) produced by various cyanobacteria during harmful algal bloom poses serious threats to drinking water safety and human health. Conventional chromatography-based detection methods require expensive instruments and complicated sample pretreatment, limiting their application for on-site detection. Colorimetric aptasensors are simple and rapid, and are amenable to fast detection. However, they provide only one output signal, resulting in poor sensitivity and accuracy. Dual-channel ratiometric colorimetric method based on the peroxidase-like activity of nanozyme can achieve self-calibration by recording two reverse signals, providing significantly enhanced sensitivity and accuracy.

RESULTS

CeO2 nanocages (CeO2 NCs) with tetra-enzyme mimetic activities (oxidase-, peroxidase-, catalase- and superoxide dismutase-like activities) were facilely synthesized using zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) as sacrificial template. The peroxidase-like activity of CeO2 NCs can be regulated by DNA, and it showed opposite response to two chromogenic substrates (2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB)), which was mainly attributed to the changed affinity. On the basis of MC-LR aptamer-tunable peroxidase-like activity of CeO2 NCs in TMB and ABTS channel, a dual-channel ratiometric colorimetric aptasensor was constructed for detection of MC-LR. Compared with conventional single-signal colorimetric assays, the proposed method showed lower limit of detection (0.66 pg mL-1) and significantly enhanced sensitivity. Moreover, the practicability of the ratiometric colorimetric assay was demonstrated by detecting MC-LR in real water samples, and satisfactory recoveries (94.9-101.9 %) and low relative standard deviations (1.6-6.3 %) were obtained.

SIGNIFICANCE

This work presents a nanozyme-based ratiometric colorimetric aptasensor for MC-LR detection by recording the reverse responses of two chromogenic reactions. Benefiting from the self-calibration function, the method can achieve higher sensitivity and accuracy. The short detection time and practical application in real water samples show great potential for environmental monitoring.

Recent advances in the colorimetric and fluorescence analysis of bioactive small-molecule compounds based on the enzyme-like activity of nanomaterials

Nanomaterials with enzyme-like activity have been widely used in the construction of colorimetric and fluorescence sensors due to their advantages of cost-effectiveness, high stability, good biocompatibility, and ease of modification. Furthermore, the colorimetric and fluorescence sensors, which are effective approaches for detecting bioactive small-molecule compounds, have been extensively explored due to their simple operation and high sensitivity. Recent significant researches have focused on designing various sensors based on nanozymes with peroxidase- and oxidase-like activity for the colorimetric and fluorescence analysis of different analytes. In this review, recent developments (from 2018 to present) in the colorimetric and fluorescent analysis of bioactive small-molecule compounds based on the enzyme-like activity of nanomaterials were summarized. In addition, the challenges and design strategies in developing colorimetric and fluorescent assays with high performance and specific sensing were discussed.

MXene-based nanomaterials with enzyme-like properties for biomedical applications

Recently, great progress has been made in nanozyme research due to the rapid development of nanomaterials and nanotechnology. MXene-based nanomaterials have gained considerable attention owing to their unique physicochemical properties. They have been found to have high enzyme-like properties, such as peroxidase, oxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. In this mini-review, we present an overview of the recent progress in MXene-based nanozymes, with emphasis on their synthetic methods, hybridization, bio-catalytic properties, and biomedical applications. The future challenges and prospects of MXene-based nanozymes are also proposed.

Dual-amplification system based on CRISPR-Cas12a and horseradish peroxidase-tethered magnetic microspheres for colorimetric detection of microcystin-LR

A novel dual-amplification system based on CRISPR-Cas12a and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was developed for colorimetric determination of MC-LR. This dual-amplification was accomplished by combining the nuclease activity of CRISPR-Cas12a with the redox activity of HRP. HRP linked to magnetic beads through an ssDNA (MB-ssDNA-HRP) was used to induce a color change of the 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB)-H₂O₂ chromogenic substrate solution. Specific binding of MC-LR with its aptamer initiated the release of a complementary DNA (cDNA), which was designed to activate the trans-cleavage activity of CRISPR-Cas12a. Upon activation, Cas12a cut the ssDNA linker in MB-ssDNA-HRP, causing a reduction of HRP on the magnetic beads. Consequently, the UV-Vis absorbance of the HRP-catalyzed reaction was decreased. The dual-signal amplification facilitated by CRISPR-Cas12a and HRP enabled the colorimetric detection of MC-LR in the range 0.01 to 50 ng·mL^-1 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 4.53 pg·mL^-1. The practicability of the developed colorimetric method was demonstrated by detecting different levels of MC-LR in spiked real water samples. The recoveries ranged from 86.2 to 118.5% and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 8.4 to 17.6%. This work provides new inspiration for the construction of effective signal amplification platforms and demonstrates a simple and user-friendly colorimetric method for determination of trace MC-LR.