Colorimetric Sensor Array for Human Semen Identification Designed by Coupling Zirconium Metal-Organic Frameworks with...

Area of Science:

• Nanomaterials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Accurate semen identification is crucial for diagnosing male infertility and tailoring treatments.
• Existing detection methods face limitations due to sample complexity and diversity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple, sensitive, and feasible colorimetric sensor array for human semen identification.
• To address the challenges in semen detection for male infertility diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Coupling zirconium metal-organic frameworks (Zr-MOFs) with single-stranded-DNA-decorated gold nanoparticles (ssDNA-AuNPs).
• Utilizing coordination interactions, π-π stacking, and H-bonding for AuNP absorption and precipitation by Zr-MOFs.
• Observing color changes in the supernatant due to semen components affecting co-precipitation.

Main Results:

• The developed sensor successfully identified human semen.
• The method demonstrated sensitivity to variations in semen inclusions, enabling differentiation between cases.
• The colorimetric changes in the supernatant provided a basis for semen identification.

Conclusions:

• The proposed Zr-MOF and ssDNA-AuNP based colorimetric sensor offers a promising approach for human semen identification.
• This method shows potential for accurate and sensitive diagnosis of male infertility.
• The sensor exhibits simplicity and feasibility for clinical applications.