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A general thiol assay based on the suppression of fluorescence resonance energy transfer in magnetic-resin core-shell nanospheres coated with gold nanoparticles

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Abstract

A simple, rapid and sensitive fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) method is presented for the determination of thiols. It is based on the thiol-induced enhancement effect of the surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on the efficiency of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) in nanospheres consisting of a magnetic (Fe3O4) core and a phenol-formaldehyde resin (PFR) shell containing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The luminescence of the core-shell nanospheres at excitation/emission wavelengths of 390/445 nm, respectively, is quenched by the AuNPs which act as energy acceptors. The interaction of AuNPs with thiol compounds in the presence of SDS suppresses FRET and gives rise to a fluorescent signal whose intensity is proportional to the thiol concentration. The analytical features of seven thiols (homocysteine, thioglycolic acid, glutathione, dodecanethiol, cysteamine, cysteine and N-acetylcysteine) were studied. Detection limits are in the range from 0.14 to 0.49 μmol L−1. The precision of the method, expressed as the relative standard deviation, ranges from 0.4 to 4.9 %. The method was applied to the determination of total thiols in water samples with recovery values between 88.7 and 104.6 %.

The fluorescence resonance energy transfer in magnetic-resin core-shell nanospheres coated with gold nanoparticles is inhibited by thiol compounds in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. This gives rise to a fluorescent signal whose intensity is proportional to the thiol concentration.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Spanish MINECO (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad) (Grant No. CTQ-2012-32941), the Junta de Andalucía (Grant No. P09- FQM4933) and the FEDER-FSE program.

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The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemistry and Nanochemistry (IUQFN-UCO) Campus of Rabanales, Marie Curie Building (Annex) University of Córdoba, E-14071, Córdoba, Spain

    Vanessa Román-Pizarro, Umair Gulzar, Juan Manuel Fernández-Romero & Agustina Gómez-Hens

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  1. Vanessa Román-Pizarro
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  2. Umair Gulzar
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  3. Juan Manuel Fernández-Romero
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  4. Agustina Gómez-Hens
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Correspondence to Agustina Gómez-Hens.

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Román-Pizarro, V., Gulzar, U., Fernández-Romero, J.M. et al. A general thiol assay based on the suppression of fluorescence resonance energy transfer in magnetic-resin core-shell nanospheres coated with gold nanoparticles. Microchim Acta 182, 2285–2292 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1579-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1579-4

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