ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

An ellipsometric biosensor using aptamer for the detection of mercuric ions

Tuğçe Ertan and Mustafa Oğuzhan Caglayan

Chemical Engineering Department, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey

E-mail: oguzhan.caglayan@bilecik.edu.tr

Received: 27 April 2020  Accepted: 6 July 2020

Abstract:

An ellipsometric biosensor, to be used in the detection of mercuric ions that affect the vital organs of living organisms, was developed. In this context, as a diagnostic element of the developed ellipsometric biosensor, a nucleic acid-based aptamer that is highly selective for mercuric ions (Hg²⁺) was used. Two different aptamers, a long and straight sequence, and a hairpin-structured oligonucleotide sequence were chosen. The detection sensitivity obtained by both aptamers was 0.237°/μM and 0.211°/μM, respectively. The detection limit was 0.89 pM Hg²⁺and 187 nM Hg²⁺ for linear- and hairpin-type oligonucleotide, respectively.

Keywords: DNA aptamer; Ellipsometry; Biosensor; Mercuric ion

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-020-01282-3

Chemical Papers 75 (1) 89–97 (2021)