A rapid field-ready electrical biosensor consisting of bismuthine-derived Au island decorated BiOCl nanosheets for Raphidiopsis raciborskii detection in freshwater†

Abstract

Cyanobacteria play an essential role in nutrient cycling in aquatic ecosystems. However, certain species adversely affect the environment and human health by causing harmful cyanobacterial algal blooms (cyanoHABs) and producing cyanotoxins. To address this issue, continuous cyanoHAB monitoring has been considered; however, a gold standard has not yet been established. In this study, we aimed to develop a dual DNA-targeting capacitive-type biosensor for rapid field-ready monitoring of Raphidiopsis raciborskii, a causative species of cyanoHAB. To enhance the sensing signal, a plate-like Au–BiOCl nanocomposite was synthesized using a spontaneous carbonation process without additional additives. The alternating-current electrothermal flow (ACEF) technique was applied to enable rapid DNA and probe binding within 10 min. The limits of detection (LODs) for R. raciborskii RubisCO large subunit (rbcL) and RNA polymerase beta subunit (rpoB) genes diluted in deionized (DI) water were 4.89 × 10⁻¹⁷ and 3.89 × 10⁻¹⁷ M, respectively. Furthermore, the LODs of R. raciborskii rbcl and rpoB diluted in freshwater containing HAB were 2.55 × 10⁻¹⁶ and 3.84 × 10⁻¹⁶ M, respectively, demonstrating the field-ready applicability of the device. The fabricated cyanobacterial DNA-sensing platform enabled powerful species-specific detection using a small sample volume and low target concentration without a nucleic acid amplification step, dramatically reducing the detection time. This study has considerable implications for detecting HABs, early warning systems, and species-specific environmental monitoring technology.