EXAFS studies of catalytic DNA sensors for mercury contamination of water

Monitoring of metallic contaminants in domestic and agricultural water systems requires technology that is fast, flexible, sensitive, and selective. Recently, metal sensors based on catalytic DNA have been demonstrated as a practical monitoring solution. Very little is known, however, about the atomic scale interactions between the DNA-based sensors and the metal contaminant to which the sensor is targeted. Here, we present the results of an X-ray absorption spectroscopy study of a mercury sensor which illustrates the nature of the Hg–DNA interaction.