Design of a facile and label-free electrochemical aptasensor for detection of atrazine

Lifang Fan; Caiyun Zhang; Wenjun Yan; Yujing Guo; Shaomin Shuang; Chuan Dong; Yingpu Bi

doi:10.1016/j.talanta.2019.03.114

Design of a facile and label-free electrochemical aptasensor for detection of atrazine

Talanta. 2019 Aug 15:201:156-164. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2019.03.114. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Authors

Lifang Fan¹, Caiyun Zhang², Wenjun Yan³, Yujing Guo⁴, Shaomin Shuang², Chuan Dong², Yingpu Bi⁵

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Environmental Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030006, PR China. Electronic address: flf@sxu.edu.cn.
² Institute of Environmental Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030006, PR China.
³ Analytical Instrumentation Center, Institute of Coal Chemistry, CAS, Taiyuan, 030001, PR China.
⁴ Institute of Environmental Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030006, PR China. Electronic address: guoyj@sxu.edu.cn.
⁵ State Key Laboratory for Oxo Synthesis & Selective Oxidation, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, CAS, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China.

PMID: 31122406
DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2019.03.114

Abstract

A facile and label-free electrochemical aptasensor for detection of atrazine (ATZ) was designed based on nickel hexacyanoferrate nanoparticles (NiHCF NPs) and electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO). Because of ERGO perfect electrochemical conductivity and large surface area, it was first modified on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface by electrochemical reduction. NiHCF NPs were immobilized on ERGO/GCE as a signal probe with well-defined peaks and good stability. Subsequently, gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were electrodeposited on NiHCF NPs/ERGO to anchored aptamer and increase the conductivity and stability of the electrode. When ATZ was added, ATZ-aptamer complexes generated with poor conductivity on the sensor surface increased the hindrance of electron transfer, leading to electrochemical signal decrease. The signal change was used to detect ATZ quantitatively. The designed aptasensor exhibited good analytical performance for determining ATZ. A linear curve was obtained in the range of 0.25-250 pM with a low detection limit of 0.1 pM, and it showed perfect selectivity for ATZ in the presence of diverse interferents. Meanwhile, the electrochemical aptasensor was employed to evaluate ATZ content in the samples.

Keywords: Aptasensor; Atrazine; Electrochemical reduced graphene oxide; Nickel hexacyanoferrate nanoparticles; Signal probe.