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Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Phthalic Acid Ester-Binding DNA Aptamer Selection, Characterization, and Application to an Electrochemical Aptasensor
Published on: March 21, 2018
A highly sensitive signal-amplified gold nanoparticle-based electrochemical immunosensor for dibutyl phthalate
Ya-Ru Liang1, Zong-Mian Zhang1, Zhen-Jiang Liu1
1School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
Abstract:
A simple and signal-amplified, label-free electrochemical impedimetric immunosensor for dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a type of phthalate ester, was developed using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) induced signal amplification. The approach was based on an indirectly competitive binding system of coating antigen that coated on antigen/chitosan/MWCNTs@GONRs/GCE (modified electrodes), target (DBP) and anti-DBP antibody. Signal amplification was performed via the enlargement of AuNPs through NADH-promoted catalytic precipitation, which caused a marked increase in the electron-transfer resistance and electrostatic repulsion after an AuNP-labeled second antibody conjugated to anti-DBP. Under the optimized conditions, this method displayed: (i) low detection limits (7ng/mL, 10 times lower than the traditional ELISA method using the same antibody); (ii) satisfactory accuracy (recoveries, 86.0-120.4%) and agreement with corresponding ELISA method; (iii) high tolerance to some environmental interferents; and (iv) low cost and low sample consumption (6µL). Our results demonstrate the great potential and high efficiency of this immunosensor in practical applications for the cost-effective and sensitive monitoring of DBP in aquatic environments.

