Design an efficient photoelectrochemical aptasensor for PCB72 based on CdTe@CdS core@shell quantum dots-decorated TiO2 nanotubes

Enhanced photoelectrochemical sensing of Pb2+ based on Cu/Mn:ZnInSe ternary quantum dots coupled with G-quadruplex DNAzyme

Novel Cu/Mn:ZnInSe ternary quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized from low-cost inorganic salts and natural biomolecules combined with titanium dioxide (TiO2) for the first time using a one step in situ hydrothermal method to prepare a TiO2/Cu/Mn:ZnInSe QD photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing interface for lead ion detection. In contrast to the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the FTO/TiO2 and FTO/TiO2/ZnInSe electrodes, that of the FTO/TiO2/Cu/Mn:ZnInSe electrode was evidently improved. The structure, morphology and conductivity of the FTO/TiO2/Cu/Mn:ZnInSe electrode were confirmed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the electrochemical method. Under the optimal conditions of electrode preparation, optimal experimental parameters (pH values of the detection medium and buffer solution) were obtained. Based on the high selectivity of nucleic acid aptamer sensors in detecting heavy metals, the G-quadruplex (G4) was modified on the FTO/TiO2/Cu/Mn:ZnInSe electrode. Coupling the Pb2+-induced G4 DNAzyme structure with biocatalysis precipitation (BCP) enabled the detection limit of Pb2+ to be 10 nM. This work has opened up different perspectives for sensor design in PEC detection, providing a universal format for the future development of the PEC environment and biological analysis.

Detection of biological loads in sewage using the automated robot-driven photoelectrochemical biosensing platform

Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) remains the most prevalent molecular detection technology for sewage analysis but is plagued with numerous disadvantages, such as time consumption, high manpower requirements, and susceptibility to false negatives. In this study, an automated robot-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensing platform is constructed, that utilizes the CRISPR/Cas12a system to achieve fast, ultrasensitive, high specificity detection of biological loads in sewage. The Shennong-1 robot integrates several functional modules, involving sewage sampling and pretreatment to streamline the sewage monitoring. A screen-printed electrode is employed with a vertical graphene-based working electrode and enhanced with surface-deposited Au nanoparticles (NPs). CdTe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) are further fabricated through the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) anchored on Au NPs. Using the cDNA template of Omicron BA.5 spike gene as a model, the PEC biosensor demonstrates excellent analytical performance, with a lower detection limit of 2.93 × 102 zm and an outstanding selectivity at the level of single-base mutation recognition. Furthermore, the rapid, accurate detection of BA.5 in sewage demonstrates the feasibility of the PEC platform for sewage monitoring. In conclusion, this platform allows early detection and tracking of infectious disease outbreaks, providing timely data support for public health institutions to take appropriate prevention and control measures.

Self-powered molecularly imprinted photoelectrochemical sensor based on Ppy/QD/HOF heterojunction for the detection of bisphenol A

As an emerging porous material, hydrogen-bonded organic framework materials (HOFs) still pose application challenges. In this work, the designed type "I + II" heterojunction extracted hot electrons from HOFs using quantum dots (QDs) and polypyrrole (Ppy), improving the stability and photoelectrochemical performance of materials. In addition to serving as a potential well, electropolymerized Ppy was used as a recognition element for bisphenol A (BPA), and a novel self-powered molecularly imprinted photoelectrochemical (MIP-PEC) sensor was designed. The sensing platform showed a linear relationship from 1 × 10-10 to 1 × 10-7 mol∙L-1 and from 1 × 10-7 to 1 mol∙L-1 with an acceptable detection limit of 4.2 × 10-11 mol∙L-1. This is the first application of HOFs in constructing MIP-PEC sensors and a new attempt to improve the stability of HOFs for the application of porous crystal materials in the sensing field.

A novel photoelectrochemical approach with "signal-off" pattern for anodic detection of sunset yellow in food samples based on Bi2WO6/TiO2 NTAs heterostructure nanocomposite

A new and signal-off photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing platform utilizing TiO2 nanotube arrays (NTAs) coated with Bi2WO6 nanoparticles (NPs) has been successfully developed for the highly sensitive detection of sunset yellow (SY). The interaction between SY and Bi2WO6 NPs leads to substantial steric hindrance, resulting in a noticeable decrease in the photocurrent signal. The proposed PEC sensor demonstrates quantitative detection capabilities for SY across a wide liner range of 10 fM to 100 µM with an ultralow detection limit (LOD) of 0.78 fM. Furthermore, the designed PEC sensor exhibits several notable advantages, including robust anti-interference properties, desirable repeatability, good reproducibility, and excellent stability. Finally, the designed PEC sensor was applied to determine SY in diverse real samples without any remarkable difference compared to the UV-Vis reference method.

CRISPR/Cas12a-Derived Photoelectrochemical Aptasensor Based on Au Nanoparticle-Attached CdS/UiO-66-NH2 Heterostructures for the Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Ochratoxin A

The sensitive and accurate detection of ochratoxin A (OTA) is crucial for public health due to its high toxicity. Herein, using Au nanoparticle (NP)-attached CdS/UiO-66-NH2 heterostructures as photoactive materials, a photoelectrochemical (PEC) aptasensor was presented for the ultrasensitive assay of OTA based on a competitive displacement reaction triggering the trans-cleavage ability of CRISPR/Cas12a. In this sensing strategy, methylene blue-labeled single-stranded DNA (MB-ssDNA) was immobilized on the Au NPs/CdS/UiO-66-NH2 electrode to accelerate the separation of the photogenerated carrier, thus producing a significantly increased PEC response. In the presence of OTA, it specifically bound with the aptamer (Apt) and resulted in the release of the activation chain, triggering the trans-cleavage characteristics of CRISPR/Cas12a. MB-ssDNA was cut randomly on the electrode surface to convert the PEC signal from the "on" to the "off" state, thereby achieving a quantitative and accurate detection of OTA. The CRISPR/Cas12a-derived PEC aptasensor exhibited excellent sensitivity and specificity, with a linear range from 100 to 50 ng/mL and a detection limit of 38 fg/mL. Overall, the proposed aptasensor could provide a rapid, accurate, and sensitive method for the determination of OTA in actual samples.

Photoactive conjugated microporous polymer@C60 with quencher on tailed Y-triangular DNA structure for high-performance signal-off photoelectrochemical biosensing

Herein, we synthesized a conjugated microporous polymer (CMP) decorated C₆₀ (CMP@C₆₀) with high photoelectric conversion efficiency, in which continuously repeated donor-acceptor (D-A) π electron unit within one molecule of CMP on C₆₀ could not only effectively increase the mobility of photogenerated carriers with improved electron transmission, but also constitute the cascade energy band matching with reduced electron-hole recombination. Based on the high-performance of CMP@C₆₀ for producing exciting initial photoelectrochemical (PEC) signal, a sensitive signal-off sensing platform was designed for lead ion (Pb²⁺) assay by coupling with quencher methylene blue (MB) interacting on efficient long tailed Y-triangular DNA structure (LYTD). The proposed LYTD with a tripod structure could generate six long tails in situ on its side at the same time via a simple hybridization chain reaction (HCR), providing notably grooves on electrode to accommodate quencher MB to significantly depress the signal for sensitive detection of Pb²⁺. As a result, the proposed PEC biosensor revealed excellent analysis capability with a low detection limit of 0.3 fM (S/N = 3). Additionally, it also showed satisfactory stability in the detection of tap water samples, lake water samples and clinical serum samples, manifesting great application prospect in the areas of environmental pollutant detection.

Polyacrylic acid/polyethylene glycol hybrid antifouling interface for photoelectrochemical immunosensing of CYFRA 21-1 based on TiO2/PpIX/Ag@Cu2O composite

A photoelectrochemical (PEC) transducer based on composite TiO₂/PpIX/Ag@Cu₂O was prepared for the detection of CYFRA 21-1. TiO₂ nanomaterials were synthesized by hydrothermal method. TiO₂/PpIX/Ag@Cu₂O composites were obtained by combining protoporphyrin Ⅸ (PpIX) molecules and Ag@Cu₂O on TiO₂. This composite material has strong absorption in visible light region and excellent photoelectric chemical properties. Ascorbic acid (AA) is a good electron donor, which can remove photogenerated holes in liquid environment to inhibit the recombination of photogenerated electrons and hole pairs, thus enhancing the photocurrent and improving its stability. The results showed that the sensor can quantitatively test CYFRA 21-1 in the range of 0.1 pg/mL∼100 ng/mL. The photoelectric chemical sensor has the advantages of high sensitivity, low detection line limit and wide linear range.

Au nano-flower/organic polymer heterojunction-based cathode photochemical biosensor with reduction-accelerated quenching effect of porphyrin manganese

In this work, a novel reduction-accelerated quenching of manganese porphyrin (MnPP) based signal-off cathode photochemical (PEC) biosensor by using Au nano-flower/organic polymer (PTB7-Th) heterojunction as platform was proposed for ultrasensitive detection of Hg²⁺. Firstly, the photoactive PTB7-Th with Au nano-flower on electrode could form a typical Mott-Schottky heterojunction for acquiring an extremely high cathode signal. Meanwhile, the presence of target Hg²⁺ could bring in the formation of T-Hg²⁺-T based scissor-like DNA walker, which thus activated efficient Mg²⁺-specific DNAzyme based cleavage recycling to shear hairpin H2 on electrode to exposure abundant trigger sites of hybridization chain reaction (HCR) for in-situ decoration of quencher MnPP. Here, besides the steric hinderance and light competition effect of MnPP decorated DNA nanowires attributing to signal decrease, we for the first time testified the MnPP reduction-accelerated quenching that constantly consumed the photo-generated electron by using cyclic voltammetry (CV). As a result, the proposed biosensor had excellent sensitivity and selectivity to Hg²⁺ in the range of 1 fM-10 nM with a detection limit of 0.48 fM. The actual sample analysis showed that the biosensor could reliably and quantitatively identify Hg²⁺, indicating an excellent application prospect in routine detection.