Antimonene Quantum Dots as an Emerging Fluorescent Nanoprobe for the pH-Mediated Dual-Channel Detection of Tetracyclines.

ABSTRACT

Antimonene quantum dots (AMQDs) are attracting considerable attention due to their fascinating physicochemical properties. However, research on their semiconductor characteristics, especially the photoluminescence performance, is still in a preliminary stage and the experimental verification is scarcely reported, significantly restricting their further applications. Herein, the photoluminescence property of AMQDs is experimentally verified. The AMQDs are prepared by probe sonication-assisted liquid-phase exfoliation and show robust blue fluorescence, and the photoluminescence is hardly affected by pH. In view of the derivatization reaction of tetracyclines (TET) at different pHs, AMQDs are developed as a pH-mediated dual-channel ratiometric fluorescent probe for TET detection. Under acidic conditions, the AMQDs' probe exhibits unique recognition behavior due to the inherent fluorescence of TET and the solvent-enhancing effect, that is, the fluorescence changes from blue to red. Under alkaline conditions, this fluorescent probe realizes the transition from blue to yellow-green because of the decomposition of TET. The limits of detection are 27 × 10-9 and 74 × 10-9 m, respectively. The high sensitivity and remarkable fluorescence changes make AMQDs ideal probes for TET sensing. Additionally, this is the first report on the photoluminescence property of AMQDs. It is believed that this work will open a new avenue for AMQDs in optical sensing fields.