A signal “on–off-on”-type electrochemiluminescence aptamer sensor for detection of sulfadimethoxine based on Ru@Zn-oxalate MOF composites

An “on–off-on”-type electrochemiluminescence (ECL) aptamer sensor based on Ru@Zn-oxalate metal–organic framework (MOF) composites is constructed for sensitive detection of sulfadimethoxine (SDM). The prepared Ru@Zn-oxalate MOF composites with the three-dimensional structure provide good ECL performance for the “signal-on.” The MOF structure with a large surface area enables the material to fix more Ru(bpy) 3 2+ . Moreover, the Zn-oxalate MOF with three-dimensional chromophore connectivity provides a medium which can accelerate excited-state energy transfer migration among Ru(bpy) 3 2+ units, and greatly reduces the influence of solvent on chromophore, achieving a high-energy Ru emission efficiency. The aptamer chain modified with ferrocene at the end can hybridize with the capture chain DNA1 fixed on the surface of the modified electrode through base complementary pairing, which can significantly quench the ECL signal of Ru@Zn-oxalate MOF. SDM specifically binds to its aptamer to separate ferrocene from the electrode surface, resulting in a “signal-on” ECL signal. The use of the aptamer chain further improves the selectivity of the sensor. Thus, high-sensitivity detection of SDM specificity is realized through the specific affinity between SDM and its aptamer. This proposed ECL aptamer sensor has good analytical performance for SDM with low detection limit (27.3 fM) and wide detection range (100 fM–500 nM). The sensor also shows excellent stability, selectivity, and reproducibility, which proved its analytical performance. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of SDM detected by the sensor is between 2.39 and 5.32%, and the recovery is in the range 97.23 to 107.5%. The sensor shows satisfactory results in the analysis of actual seawater samples, which is expected to play a role in the exploration of marine environmental pollution. Graphical abstract