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Phthalic Acid Ester-Binding DNA Aptamer Selection, Characterization, and Application to an Electrochemical Aptasensor
Published on: March 21, 2018
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Multi-target aptamer assay for endocrine-disrupting phthalic acid ester panel screening in plastic leachates
Hyun Jeong Lim1, Hyerin Song1, Ahjeong Son1
1Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, Republic of Korea.
Chemosphere
|May 20, 2024
Summary
A novel aptamer assay effectively screens 13 phthalate esters (PAEs) in plastic leachate. This sensitive method achieves a low detection limit of 1.4 pg/mL, offering reliable plastic contaminant analysis.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are common plasticizers found in various materials.
- Leachate from plastics can contaminate the environment and pose health risks.
- Accurate and sensitive detection methods for PAEs are crucial for environmental monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a multi-target aptamer assay for screening 13 specific phthalic acid esters (PAEs).
- To establish a sensitive and selective method for detecting PAEs in plastic leachate samples.
- To validate the assay's performance against established analytical techniques.
Main Methods:
- Development of a multi-target aptamer assay using a 20-mer aptamer and 7-aminoactinomycin D fluorophore.
- Evaluation of assay selectivity using 13 different PAEs and mixtures based on side chain structure.
- Quantitative detection of PAEs in mixed simulants and plastic leachate samples.
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) used for comparative analysis.
Main Results:
- The aptamer assay demonstrated high selectivity for PAE-13 clusters.
- Achieved a limit of detection (LOD) of approximately 1.4 pg/mL for PAEs.
- Assay exhibited good repeatability (%CV < 10%) and reproducibility (%CV < 15%).
- Positive correlation (r=0.985) observed between aptamer assay results and GC-MS analysis of plastic leachate.
Conclusions:
- The developed aptamer assay is a sensitive and selective tool for screening multiple PAEs in plastic leachate.
- This method offers a reliable alternative for environmental monitoring of plastic contaminants.
- The assay's performance is validated, showing strong agreement with GC-MS analysis.
