<abstract abstract-type="toc"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p> <graphic position="anchor" id="ga" xlink:href="ark:/27927/pgj2rw6665v" xlink:type="simple" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" />A smart gold nanosensor, Au–TA–DNS is designed that can rapidly detect very low concentrations of Pb<sup>2+</sup> and Cu<sup>2+</sup> ions.</p> </abstract>