A methanol VOC sensor using divalent metal ion-modified 2D DNA lattices

Abstract

In the present study, an optical fiber sensor using pristine DNA and metal ion-modified DNA (M-DNA) double-crossover (DX) lattices was fabricated for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the range of their threshold limit values (TLVs). The selective incorporation of metal ions, such as cobalt ions (Co²⁺), with appropriate concentrations into the DNA DX lattice has to be considered since excess metal ions can be bound nonspecifically and degrade the functions of the M-DNA DX lattices. The peak intensity of light reflected from a Co²⁺-modified DNA (Co-DNA) DX lattice was observed to be about 32% greater than that from the pristine DNA DX lattice in the presence of a relatively high 11 897 ppm concentration of the VOC methanol, and was also observed to be greater in the presence of 95 to 475 ppm methanol. The change in the intensity of the reflected light due to the VOC interaction with the pristine DNA and the Co-DNA lattices corresponded to the differences in surface morphology visualized by atomic force microscopy and the differences in intensities from Raman spectroscopy.