2-Nitrofluorene (2-NF) is a nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (NPAH) which occurs as the environmental pollutant. It is a potential carcinogen and mutagen.
Interaction of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) with 2-NF was monitored using an electrochemical DNA biosensor prepared from a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and low-molecular-weight DNA by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and square-wave voltammetry (SWV). There were no damaging interactions observed between DNA and 2-NF using EIS.
However, CV shows intercalation of this substance into the DNA structure to form the complex 2-NF-DNA. Intercalation was also observed by SWV, confirming intercalation to reduce the number of electroactive sites and thus reducing the peak heights of adenosine and guanosine.