Comprehensive analysis of bisphenol analogues in complex water using a group-targeting aptamer engineered by base mutation

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials 2023-10, Vol.460, p.132427-132427, Article 132427
• Main Authors: Wu, Siqi, Liu, Siyao, Wang, Zhiming, Chen, Yinguang, Zhao, Guohua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aptasensors; Base mutation; bisphenol A; Bisphenol analogues; bisphenol B; bisphenol E; bisphenol F; class; detection limit; Electrochemical sensing; electrochemistry; Group-targeting aptamer; Molecular docking; mutation; oligonucleotides; reproductive toxicology
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132427

Bisphenol analogues (BPs) are typical environmental hormones with endocrine-disrupting effects and reproductive toxicity requiring analysis and monitoring in complex aquatic environments. However, the presence of various co-existing contaminants makes the accurate determination of total BPs difficult. To address this challenge, there is a strong need to obtain a group-targeting binder to specifically detect a class of BPs. In this work, for the first time we have identified the group-targeting BPs-aptamer with similar affinities for multiple structurally and qualitatively similar BPs. Base mutations were introduced into an aptamer specific to bisphenol A (BPA) and utilized molecular docking calculations to identify a group-targeting aptamer capable of binding BPs, including BPA, bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol E (BPE) and bisphenol F (BPF) with binding constants in the range of 2.0 × 106 ∼ 2.7 × 106 / M. In addition, an electrochemical aptamer-based sensor (aptasensor) was constructed for highly sensitive and comprehensive analysis of a class of BPs. This aptasensor demonstrated remarkable anti-interference performance against co-existing contaminants at concentrations up to 100-fold and achieved an impressive detection limit of 6.7 pM. This innovative approach of engineering a group-targeting BPs-aptamer is important for the comprehensive analysis of BPs, providing insights into identification and monitoring a class of pollutants. [Display omitted] •The BPs-aptamer was engineered by base mutations at the site of action.•The fabricated aptasensor showed a good recognition ability for multi-BPs.•Excellent selective and sensitive analysis of multi-BPs contaminants was achieved.•The aptasensor successfully analyzed multi-BPs in Yangtze River water samples.