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Selection of Plastic‐Binding DNA Aptamers for Microplastics Detection
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Researchers isolated DNA aptamers that selectively bind to PVC and polystyrene plastics, detecting microplastic particles as small as 1 milligram using fluorescent labeling. The aptamers showed strong selectivity for plastics over other environmental materials like silica, and molecular simulations revealed how they maximize surface contact with plastic for adsorption. This aptamer-based approach could offer a new, targeted tool for environmental microplastic monitoring.
Plastics are critical materials for modern technological applications, yet environmental contamination by microplastics has become a growing concern. In this study, DNA aptamers were isolated for two of the most abundant plastic materials: polyvinylchloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS). These aptamers contain approximately 90 % cytosine and thymine but only 10 % purine content. Among them, the PVC-1 aptamer binds to PVC with a six-fold higher capacity than a random sequenced DNA. Among the tested plastic materials, PVC and PS exhibited the highest specific binding capacity. Using fluorophore-labeled PVC-1 aptamer, PS/PVC microplastics as low as 1 mg were detected, and the aptamer was selective for microplastics over other environmentally relevant materials, such as silica. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that the aptamer attempted to maximize contact with the plastic surface for adsorption. This plastic-binding aptamer is expected to find applications in environmental monitoring and has fundamental implications for surface-binding aptamers.
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Selection of Plastic‐Binding DNA Aptamers for Microplastics Detection
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed DNA aptamers capable of selectively binding to polyvinylchloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS) microplastics, with the selected aptamers exhibiting approximately 90% cytosine and thymine content. The PVC-1 aptamer demonstrated a six-fold higher binding capacity to PVC compared to random-sequence DNA, showing promise for aptamer-based microplastic detection methods.
Adsorption of Linear and Spherical DNA Oligonucleotides onto Microplastics
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Researchers investigated DNA adsorption onto common microplastics and found that DNA oligonucleotides bind to polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and PVC surfaces, suggesting microplastics could serve as carriers for environmental DNA in aquatic ecosystems.
Effect of micro/nano-plastics on environment and recent advances in their detection strategies
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This review paper summarizes existing research on tiny plastic particles called micro- and nano-plastics, covering where they come from and how they can harm living organisms. It also compares methods currently used to detect these particles, noting that common methods are costly and slow, and discusses newer sensor-based approaches, including aptamer-based biosensors, that could offer faster, more sensitive detection.
Receptor-based detection of microplastics and nanoplastics: Current and future
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This review surveys receptor-based detection methods for microplastics and nanoplastics, highlighting how molecular receptors can provide high specificity for identifying plastic types in environmental samples with low detection limits suitable for environmental screening.
Switch-type photoelectrochemical aptasensor for microplastics and nanoplastics detection based on two-dimensional organic−inorganic heterojunction
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Researchers developed a new photoelectrochemical sensor for detecting microplastics and nanoplastics at very low concentrations. The aptamer-based system uses a two-dimensional organic-inorganic heterojunction to achieve highly sensitive detection of PVC and polystyrene particles, with potential applications for monitoring micro- and nanoplastic contamination in complex environmental samples.
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