Exploiting the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between CdTe quantum dots and Au nanoparticles for the determination of bioactive thiols

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2019

Authors

Jimenez Lopez, J (Author) Other; Rodrigues, SSM (Author) Other; Ribeiro, DSM (Author) Other; Ortega Barrales, P (Author) Other; Ruiz Medina, A (Author) Other; Joao L M Santos (Author) FFUP

Journal

Title: Spectrochimica Acta - Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy

Vol. 212

Pages: 246-254

ISSN: 1386-1425

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scopus - 8 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00Q-E9F

DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2019.01.005

Abstract (EN): This work focused the implementation of FRET processes between CdTe quantum dots (QDs), acting as donors, and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), behaving as acceptors, for the determination of several bioactive thiols such as captopril, glutathione, L-cysteine, thiomalic acid and coenzyme M. The surface chemistry of the QDs and AuNPs was adjusted with adequate capping ligands, i.e. mercaptopropionic acid and cysteamine, respectively, to guarantee the establishment of strong electrostatic interaction between them and promoting the formation of stable FRET assemblies. Under these circumstances the fluorescence emission of the QDs was completely suppressed by the AuNPs. The assayed target analytes were capable of disrupting the donor-acceptor assemblies yielding a concentration-related reversion of the FRET process and restoring QDs fluorescence emission. Distinct mechanisms, involving enhancing of the QDs quantum yield (QY), AuNPs agglomeration, nanoparticles detachment, etc., could be proposed to explain the referred FRET reversion. The developed approach assured good analytical working ranges and demonstrate adequate sensitivity for the assayed compounds, anticipating great prospective for implementing rapid, simple and reliable sensing methodologies for the monitoring of pharmaceutical, food and environmental species. However, selectivity could be a hindrance in the detection of these bioactive thiols in more complex matrices such as environmental and food samples. This problem could be circumvented through the employment of multivariate chemometric methods for the analysis and processing of whole fluorometric response. Moreover, the proposed methodology shows a great analytical versatility since it is possible to easily adapt the surface chemistry, of both QDs and AuNPs, to the chemical nature of the target analyte.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9