Fluorescent sensing of cocaine based on a structure switching aptamer, gold nanoparticles and graphene oxide

This study demonstrates a cocaine sensing method employing graphene oxide (GO), gold nanoparticles and a structure switching aptamer, which can fold into a three-way junction in the presence of cocaine. On the observation of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) induced graphene oxide fluorescence quenching, a structure switching aptamer of cocaine was introduced as the linker between the two parts. Firstly, two fragments of a cocaine aptamer were immobilized covalently onto GO and Au NPs, respectively. Then when the three-way junction formed, the Au NPs were drawn near to the GO surface and induced a fluorescence intensity decrease. The limit of detection was 0.1 mu M for cocaine in purified water, and well defined results were also obtained in biological fluids and the specificity experiment, which expands the feasibility of the as-prepared sensor for practical applications.