Ratiometric fluorescent sensor based on 2D MOF nanosheets modified by DNA for sensitive detection of Hg²

Mercury is highly toxic and can accumulate throughout the food cycle, leading to water contamination and foodstuffs pollution. Therefore, increasing attention has been paid to explore effective detection of Hg²⁺. Here, we report a sensitive Hg²⁺sensor based on single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) modified two-dimensional (2D) MOF nanosheets by a ratiometric fluorescent method. The chosen 2D MOF nanosheets possess intrinsic peroxidase-like catalytic ability, ssDNA adsorption and fluorescence quenching. We demonstrate that the adsorption of ssDNA can significantly improve the peroxidase mimetic activity of 2D MOF nanosheets, enhancing the fluorescence of substrate Amplex Red. Taking advantages of the favorable characteristics above, we fabricate an efficient Hg²⁺sensor. In the presence of Hg²⁺, the ssDNA is released from 2D MOF nanosheets, which results in a decreasing of peroxidase mimetic activity of 2D MOF nanosheets and a fluorescence enhancement of attached fluorophore. A linear relationship between ratiometric fluorescence of substrate and fluorophore and Hg²⁺concentrations is obtained. The detection limit is 5 nM, which is much lower than the maximal contamination level in drinking water (30 nM) by Word Health Organization. These findings show 2D MOF based ratiometric fluorescent sensor is a convenient and efficient strategy to detect Hg²⁺.