A novel ultra-sensitive neural stem cells -based biosensor for subattomolar potentiometric detection of mercury ions using array system

In this study for the first time the direct potentiometric detectability of mercury ions with detection limit as aM (10-18 M) concentrations without any preconcentration, any analyte recycling, or electrocatalytic signal enhancement will be studied in detail [1]. To reach this aim, a programmed switching system will be combined with an array of potentiometric sensors consisting of fifteen potentiometric sensors is connected immediately to a pH/potentiometer and a data processor (PC) to sequentially acquire the potential corresponding to water sample mixtures [2]. The acquired potentials are recorded and saved on the PC and will be as input variables for the sub aM concentration of Hg2+, in elementary and complex mixtures. Selectivity for a certain ion selective sensor is greatly related to the ionophore used. Due to the existence of sulfur donor atoms in stem cells biosensor, which is a soft base, in the structure of different proteins of stem cells, its interaction with some mercury ions was studied in aqueous solution .The results showed that neural stem cells have special interaction with Hg2+ ions. For this purpose, effect of some ion blockers such as calcium blocker seems to be an important probe for evaluation of probable the mechanism during selective mercury detection and determination [3].