We report a new polydiacetylene (PDA) sensor strip for simple visual detection of zinc ions in aqueous
solution. The specificity of this sensor comes from Zn2+ DNA aptamer probes conjugated onto PDA. Effects
of aptamer length and structure on the sensitivity of PDA’s color transition were first investigated. PDA
conjugated with the optimal aptamer sequence was then coated onto a strip of polyvinylidene fluoride
membrane and photopolymerized by UV exposure