A Novel Ratio Probe Based on Mixing of Thiocyanuric Acid- Enhanced Silver Nanoclusters with N, S Co-Doped Carbon Quantum Dots for Detecting Sodium 2,3-Dimercapto Propanesulfonic Acid

Abstract

Abstract Background The ratio fluorescent probe (RF-probe) has the characteristics of self-calibration and eliminating the influence of experimental factors (such as probe concentration, excitation intensity stability, and solution environment) in quantitative assays based on the linear relationship between the intensity ratio of two emission peaks and the concentration of analyte, especially in a complex biological matrix. Objective High-luminescent Ag nanoclusters (AgNCs) were prepared at room temperature due to aggregation-induced emission (AIE) through the incorporation of trithiocyanuric acid (TA). Subsequently, a new RF-probe based on mixing of AgNCs-TA with nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon quantum dots (N, S-CQDs) was prepared for sensitively and selectively assaying sodium 2, 3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulfonate (DMPS). Methods The fluorescence of N, S-CQDs was quenched in the presence of the AgNCs-TA mainly deriving from the inner filter effect (IFE), and its fluorescence intensities at 440 and 650 nm could recover and drop upon the addition of DMPS (λex = 370 nm). Results The RF-probe enables DMPS to be detected by fluorometry with a linear response in the 0.67–30.0 μmol/L concentration range and a 54.7 nmol/L detection limit (at 3σ/slope). At the same time, we also used the labeled recovery method to confirm the reliability of the method. The recoveries were 97.93–106.33%, and the corresponding standard deviations (RSD) were less than 1.87%. Conclusion The N, S-CQDs/AgNCs-TA RF-probe can also semi-quantitatively monitor DMPS by naked eyes. Highlights The mechanism of fluorescence enhancement of the AgNCs by TA also were investigated by the N, S-CQDs/AgNCs-TA-DMPS system. What’s more, the RF-probe of N, S-CQDs/AgNCs-TA was successfully utilized to monitor DMPS in real samples.