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Proton-controlled synthesis of red-emitting carbon dots and application for hematin detection in human erythrocytes

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Abstract

The Red-emitting nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) are synthesized using o-phenylenediamine by a one-step method, and can serve as a fluorescent probe for “turn off” detection of hematin in human red cells. The red-emitting N-CDs can be obtained only in acidic conditions and the emission of the red-emitting N-CDs is pH-dependent, indicating proton-controlled synthesis and emission. The red-emitting N-CDs are 2.7 nm in mean size and have a uniform dispersion and exhibit a high quantum yield (12.8%) and great optical properties. The developed sensing system for hematin displays a linear response from 0.4 to 32 μM with a detection limit of 0.18 μM. Importantly, this fluorescent probe demonstrates a good potential practicability for the quantitative detection of hematin in complex matrixes.

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Funding

This study received financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21675131) and the Innovation Foundation of Chongqing City for Postgraduate (CYB 16053).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China

    Yan Jun Ju, Na Li, Shi Gang Liu, Jia Yu Liang, Xin Gao, Yu Zhu Fan, Hong Qun Luo & Nian Bing Li

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  1. Yan Jun Ju
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  2. Na Li
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  3. Shi Gang Liu
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  4. Jia Yu Liang
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  5. Xin Gao
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  6. Yu Zhu Fan
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  7. Hong Qun Luo
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  8. Nian Bing Li
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Hong Qun Luo or Nian Bing Li.

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The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Southwest University, and written informed consent was obtained from all individuals participating in the study prior to the collection of the human blood samples.

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Ju, Y.J., Li, N., Liu, S.G. et al. Proton-controlled synthesis of red-emitting carbon dots and application for hematin detection in human erythrocytes. Anal Bioanal Chem 411, 1159–1167 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-018-1547-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-018-1547-z

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