MNAzyme-Assisted Nucleic Acid Lateral Flow Assay for Cost-Effective, On-Site Mercury Detection.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Mercury ions (Hg²⁺) are toxic heavy metals posing significant environmental and health risks.
• Advanced detection systems are crucial for prompt responses to mercury contamination.
• Existing methods may lack cost-effectiveness or on-site applicability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a cost-effective, on-site detection method for mercury ions (Hg²⁺).
• To utilize a multicomponent nucleic acid enzyme (MNAzyme)-assisted nucleic acid lateral flow assay (NALFA) for Hg²⁺ detection.
• To enable visual and rapid monitoring of Hg²⁺ in environmental and public health contexts.

Main Methods:

• Engineered a multicomponent nucleic acid enzyme (MNAzyme) with thymine-thymine mismatches for Hg²⁺ specificity.
• Developed a nucleic acid lateral flow assay (NALFA) incorporating the MNAzyme.
• Designed the MNAzyme to cleave specific substrates upon binding Hg²⁺, facilitating capture on the NALFA strip.
• Enabled visual detection of Hg²⁺ through the assay's signal generation on the NALFA strip.

Main Results:

• The developed MNAzyme-NALFA system demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for Hg²⁺ detection.
• The assay met World Health Organization (WHO) standards for mercury detection.
• Visual detection of Hg²⁺ was achieved on the NALFA strip.
• The method proved to be cost-effective and suitable for on-site applications.

Conclusions:

• The MNAzyme-assisted NALFA provides a viable and practical solution for rapid Hg²⁺ detection.
• This assay offers a valuable tool for environmental monitoring and public health surveillance.
• The system's cost-effectiveness and on-site capability enhance its applicability in real-world scenarios.