Simple fluorescence optosensing probe for spermine based on ciprofloxacin-Tb3+ complexation.

We developed a facile detection method of spermine based on the fluorescence (FL) quenching of the ciprofloxacin-Tb3+ complex, which shows astrong green emission. Ciprofloxacin (CP) makes efficient bondings to Tb3+ ion as a linker molecule through carboxylic and ketone groups to form a kind of lanthanide coordination polymer. The addition of spermine that competes with Tb3+ ions for the interaction with CP due to its positive charge brings about weakened coordination linkage of CP and Tb3+. The probe exhibited high sensitivity, selectivity, and good linearity in the range of 2-180 µM with a low limit of detection of 0.17 µM. Moreover, we applied this method on the paper strip test (PST), along with the integration of a smartphone and Arduino-based device. The practical reliability of the developed probe was evaluated on human serum samples with acceptable analytical results.

Selective optosensing of clenbuterol and melamine using molecularly imprinted polymer-capped CdTe quantum dots.

A novel procedure for the optosensing of clenbuterol and melamine was developed using molecularly imprinted polymer-capped CdTe quantum dots (MIP-CdTe QDs). The MIP-CdTe QDs were synthesized by a radical polymerization process among CdTe QDs, a template, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). The sizes of the MIP-CdTe particles were controlled by the speed of polymerization, concentration of the template, concentration of the quantum dots, and the ratio of template, monomer and cross-linker. Excellent selectivity and high sensitivity of MIP-CdTe QDs toward clenbuterol/melamine molecules were observed based on the fluorescence quenching of QDs. Experimental results showed that the optimum molar ratios of template, monomer, and cross-linker were 1:8:20 and 1:4:20 for analyzing clenbuterol and melamine, respectively. Under optimum conditions, these MIP-CdTe QDs showed a limit of detection of 0.4 µM (120 ng/mL) for clenbuterol and 0.6 µM (75 ng/mL) for melamine. The feasibility of the developed method in real samples was successfully evaluated through the analysis of clenbuterol and melamine in milk and liver samples with satisfactory recoveries of 92-97%. The MIP-CdTe QDs could be easily regenerated for subsequent sample analysis with water.