Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. 1983, 48, 1257-1271
https://doi.org/10.1135/cccc19831257

Adsorption of deoxyribonucleic acid at mercury electrodes from alkaline solutions of higher ionic strength

Viktor Brabeca, Viktor Glezersb and Valentina Kadyshb

a Institute of Biophysics, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, 612 65 Brno
b Institute of Organic Synthesis, Academy of Sciences of the Latvian SSR, 226006 Riga, U.S.S.R.

Abstract

Adsorption of double-stranded, thermally denatured DNAs and degradation products of DNA at mercury electrodes from alkaline solutions of higher ionic strength (0.5) has been studied with the aid of phase-sensitive alternating current (AC) and linear sweep voltammetry at the H.M.D.E. and phase-selective AC polarography (at the D.M.E.). It was found that the addition of DNA to the supporting electrolyte lowered the out-of-phase component of AC around the potential of zero charge. At potentials more negative than ca. - 1.0 V nucleic acids yielded nonfaradaic peaks on voltammetric or polarographic curves. The model of adsorption of DNA at the mercury electrode from alkaline solution of higher ionic strength that fits best with the experimental data to date is proposed.