Interacting Characteristics of Chrysene with Free DNA in vitro

Abstract

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), an important material in life science, is considered a natural and highly specific functional biopolymer. Various analytical techniques were used to analyze the interaction of chrysene with free DNA in vitro, and based on this interaction, we studied the removal of chrysene from contaminated water by DNA via magnetic beads-based separation. The results of UV-visible spectroscopy, DNA thermal denaturation measurement, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, and fluorescence microscopy showed that chrysene interacted with DNA through an intercalating mode. The results of fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated that DNA had a static quenching effect on chrysene, indicating the formation of a stable complex between chrysene and DNA. Thermodynamic studies revealed that the interaction of chrysene with free DNA was spontaneous in vitro. In addition, chrysene could be efficiently removed from contaminated water by DNA via DNA-intercalation and magnetic bead-based separation. The chrysene removal efficiency of DNA was better than that of activated carbon even when the amount of activated carbon was 400 times more than that of DNA. The results of this study provide insights into the development of new chrysene elimination processes based on DNA-intercalation in water pollution.