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Indirect determination of mercury(II) by using magnetic nanoparticles, CdS quantum dots and mercury(II)-binding aptamers, and quantitation of released CdS by graphite furnace AAS

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Abstract

This work describes an aptamer based method for highly sensitive determination of Hg(II). A Hg(II)-binding ssDNA aptamer was linked to silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles (magNPs). Then, a conjugate composed of graphene and CdS quantum dots (Gr-CdS) was linked to the complementary ssDNA. On mixing the two components, a duplex of type magNP-dsNNA-Gr/CdS is generated. If Hg(II) is added, it wills capturing the aptamer, and this leads to the release of Gr/CdS because of the formation of a stable thymine-Hg2+-thymine link. External magnetic force is used to remove the remaining complex. The released graphene-CdS is decomposed by HNO3 and injected into a graphite furnace AAS. The detectable amount of Cd is proportional to the concentration of Hg(II) in the sample. Under the optimal conditions, the method has a linear response in the 2.50 aM to 0.25 nM Hg(II) concentration range, and the detection limit is as low as 7.6 aM (at S/N = 3). It has high selectivity for Hg(II) over other metal ions.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Iranian Nanotechnology Initiative and the Research Office of the University of Kurdistan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, 66177-15175, Iran

    Arman Sharifi, Rahman Hallaj, Soleiman Bahar & Bahareh Babamiri

  2. Research Center for Nanotechnology, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, 66177-15175, Iran

    Rahman Hallaj

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  1. Arman Sharifi
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  2. Rahman Hallaj
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  3. Soleiman Bahar
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  4. Bahareh Babamiri
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Correspondence to Rahman Hallaj.

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Sharifi, A., Hallaj, R., Bahar, S. et al. Indirect determination of mercury(II) by using magnetic nanoparticles, CdS quantum dots and mercury(II)-binding aptamers, and quantitation of released CdS by graphite furnace AAS. Microchim Acta 187, 91 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-019-4029-x

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