Cocaine Detection Using Aptamer and Molybdenum Disulfide-Gold Nanoparticle-Based Sensors

Abstract

Aim: The current work highlighted a novel colorimetric sensor based on aptamer and molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂)-gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) that was developed for cocaine detection with high sensitivity. Materials & methods: Due to the presence of the plasmon resonance band on the surface of AuNPs, AuNPs aggregated and the color was changed from red to blue after adding a certain concentration of NaCl. We used MoS₂ to optimize the sensing system of AuNPs. The folded conformation of the aptamer in combination with cocaine enhanced the salt tolerance of the MoS₂-AuNPs, effectively preventing their aggregation. Results & conclusion: The detection limit of cocaine was 7.49 nM with good selectivity. The method based on MoS₂-AuNPs colorimetry sensor is simple, quick, label-free and low cost.

Keywords::

• aptamer
• cocaine detection
• molybdenum disulfide-gold nanoparticle-based sensors

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Acknowledgments

Preparation of MoS₂ was carried out at Jiangsu University.

Additional information

Funding

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.