UV-induced Zn:Cd/S quantum dots in-situ formed in the presence of thiols for sensitive and selective fluorescence detection of thiols

Abstract
In this work, we explored a new approach to a simple and sensitive fluorescence detection of thiols. The approach takes advantage of an in-situ formation of UV light-induced fluorescent nanoparticles (ZnCd/S quantum dots), while utilizing the thiol group of the analyte as a capping agent. The selectivity is ensured by the selective isolation of the thiol analyte by a polydopamine molecularly imprinted polymeric (MIP) layer. Based on this approach, a method for determination of thiols was designed. Key experimental parameters were optimized, including those of molecular imprinting and of effective model thiol molecule (l-cysteine) isolation. The relationship between the fluorescence intensity of ZnCd/S quantum dots and the concentration of l-cysteine in the range of 12-150 mu g/mL was linear with a detection limit of 3.6 mu g/mL. The molecularly imprinted polymer showed high absorption mass capacity (1.73 mg/g) and an excellent selectivity factor for l-cysteine compared to N-acetyl-l-cysteine and l-homocysteine of 63.56 and 87.48, respectively. The proposed method was applied for l-cysteine determination in human urine with satisfactory results. Due to a high variability of molecular imprinting technology and versatility of in-situ probe formation, methods based on this approach can be easily adopted for analysis of any thiol of interest.
Description
Citation
Scientific Reports. 2021, vol. 11, issue 1, p. 1-11.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93137-4
Document type
Peer-reviewed
Document version
Published version
Date of access to the full text
Language of document
en
Study field
Comittee
Date of acceptance
Defence
Result of defence
Document licence
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Citace PRO