A novel graphene-DNA biosensor for selective detection of mercury ions

A novel electrochemical biosensor for sensitive and selective detection of mercury (II) ions (Hg2+) based on a DNA grafted graphene is proposed. Graphene oxide (GO) was reduced by dopamine, and then the single-strand probe DNA modified at the 5′-end with an alkylamino modifier (NH2-ssDNA) was grafted on the reduced graphene oxide (RGO) surface via Michael addition reaction. In the presence of Hg2+, the target DNA with four thymine–thymine (T–T) mismatches would hybridize with the probe DNA on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) through T–Hg2+–T coordination chemistry. The hybridization of the two oligonucleotides leads to the increase in the peak currents of [Ru(NH3)6]3+, which could be used for electrochemical sensing of Hg2+. The difference in the value of the peak currents of [Ru(NH3)6]3+ before and after DNA hybridization was linear with the concentration of Hg2+ in the range from 8.0×10−9 to 1.0×10−7M with a linear coefficiency of 0.996. The detection limit was 5.0×10−9M (S/N=3). The proposed electrochemical biosensor is rapid, convenient and low-cost for effective sensing of Hg2+. Particularly, the proposed method was applied successfully to the determination of Hg2+ in real environmental samples. •A novel graphene biosensor for Hg2+ based on T–Hg2+–T structure is realized.•The single-strand DNA was grafted on the RGO surface via Michael addition reaction.•A detection limit of 5.0×10−9M Hg2+ was obtained (S/N=3).•The proposed method was used to analyze Hg2+ in river water.