Sensors (Jan 2024)

Upconversion-Powered Photoelectrochemical Bioanalysis for DNA Sensing

  • Hong Liu,
  • Weiwei Wei,
  • Jiajun Song,
  • Jin Hu,
  • Zhezhe Wang,
  • Peng Lin

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/s24030773
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24, no. 3
p. 773

Abstract

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In this work, we report a new concept of upconversion-powered photoelectrochemical (PEC) bioanalysis. The proof-of-concept involves a PEC bionanosystem comprising a NaYF4:Yb,Tm@NaYF4 upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) reporter, which is confined by DNA hybridization on a CdS quantum dots (QDs)/indium tin oxide (ITO) photoelectrode. The CdS QD-modified ITO electrode was powered by upconversion absorption together with energy transfer effect through UCNPs for a stable photocurrent generation. By measuring the photocurrent change, the target DNA could be detected in a specific and sensitive way with a wide linear range from 10 pM to 1 μM and a low detection limit of 0.1 pM. This work exploited the use of UCNPs as signal reporters and realized upconversion-powered PEC bioanalysis. Given the diversity of UCNPs, we believe it will offer a new perspective for the development of advanced upconversion-powered PEC bioanalysis.

Keywords