Novel electrochemiluminescence of perylene derivative and its application to mercury ion detection based on a dual amplification strategy

• Published in: Biosensors & bioelectronics 2016-12, Vol.86, p.720-727
• Main Authors: Zhao, Jing, Lei, Yan-Mei, Chai, Ya-Qin, Yuan, Ruo, Zhuo, Ying
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amplification; Biosensors; Conductometry - instrumentation; Derivatives; Dual signal amplification strategy; Electrochemiluminescence; Electrodes; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Hemin; Ions - analysis; Ions - chemistry; Luminescent Measurements - instrumentation; Mercury (metal); Mercury - analysis; Mercury - chemistry; Mercury ion; Oxygen - chemistry; Perylene - analogs & derivatives; Perylene - analysis; Perylene derivative; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Sensors; Strategy
• ISSN: 0956-5663; 1873-4235
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2016.07.036

In this paper, a novel covalently crosslinked perylene derivative (PTC-PEI) composed of polyethylenimine (PEI) and perylenetetracarboxylic acid (PTCA) has been first investigated for cathodic electrochemiluminescence (ECL) in an aqueous system with dissolved O2 as coreactant. The promising novel ECL materials of PTC-PEI exhibited admirable physical and chemical stability and high ECL intensity, which held an alternative way to construct ECL sensor with improved sensitivity. Thus, it was applied to construct a dual amplified “signal-on” mercury ion (Hg2+) sensor by the employment of nicking endonuclease (NEase)-assisted target recycling and rolling circle amplification (RCA) for signal amplification. Herein, a long G-rich sequence was generated by RCA process to capture abundant hemin on the electrode surface, and then a significantly amplified ECL signal of PTC-PEI was obtained. Based on dual signal amplification strategy, the devised sensor showed a linear range from 0.1pM to 0.1μΜ with a detection limit down to 33fM (S/N=3), and was successfully used in the direct detection of real water sample with high sensitivity and selectivity. •A ECL system of perylene derivative utilized dissolved O2 as endogenous coreactant.•The catalysis of hemin towards dissolved O2 could enhance ECL signal effectively.•The Hg2+ sensor combined target recycling and RCA for signal amplification.