Issue 26, 2022

Combating small molecule environmental contaminants: detection and sequestration using functional nucleic acids

Abstract

Small molecule contaminants pose a significant threat to the environment and human health. While regulations are in place for allowed limits in many countries, detection and remediation of contaminants in more resource-limited settings and everyday environmental sources remains a challenge. Functional nucleic acids, including aptamers and DNA enzymes, have emerged as powerful options for addressing this challenge due to their ability to non-covalently interact with small molecule targets. The goal of this perspective is to outline recent efforts toward the selection of aptamers for small molecules and describe their subsequent implementation for environmental applications. Finally, we provide an outlook that addresses barriers that hinder these technologies from being widely adopted in field friendly settings and propose a path forward toward addressing these challenges.

Graphical abstract: Combating small molecule environmental contaminants: detection and sequestration using functional nucleic acids

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
06 1月 2022
Accepted
26 5月 2022
First published
06 6月 2022
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 7670-7684

Combating small molecule environmental contaminants: detection and sequestration using functional nucleic acids

A. A. Sanford, B. A. Manuel, M. A. Romero-Reyes and J. M. Heemstra, Chem. Sci., 2022, 13, 7670 DOI: 10.1039/D2SC00117A

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