Issue 6, 2020

A sensitive “ON–OFF” fluorescent probe based on carbon dots for Fe2+ detection and cell imaging

Abstract

Fe2+ is a trace metal ion required by the human body, and its abnormal metabolism can cause serious diseases. Herein, we report the development of a highly efficient “ON–OFF” fluorescent probe based on carbon dots (CDs), prepared by a simple one-step hydrothermal method. The CDs exhibited exceptional water dispersibility and stability, superior luminescence performance and low cytotoxicity. The fluorescence could be efficiently quenched by Fe2+ through an electronic transfer process. And under the optimized experimental conditions, this probe shows excellent selectivity and high sensitivity towards Fe2+ with a detection limit of 51 nmol. More interestingly, this probe could realize the visual detection of Fe2+ when Fe3+ and Cu2+ ions were efficiently shielded by tartaric acid in the presence of ascorbic acid. Furthermore, the developed fluorescent probe has been successfully applied for the detection of Fe2+ in tap water and BSA solution as well as for the biosensing of Fe2+ in living cells.

Graphical abstract: A sensitive “ON–OFF” fluorescent probe based on carbon dots for Fe2+ detection and cell imaging

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
16 Nov 2019
Accepted
11 Jan 2020
First published
14 Jan 2020

Analyst, 2020,145, 2357-2366

A sensitive “ON–OFF” fluorescent probe based on carbon dots for Fe2+ detection and cell imaging

S. Wei, L. Tan, X. Yin, R. Wang, X. Shan, Q. Chen, T. Li, X. Zhang, C. Jiang and G. Sun, Analyst, 2020, 145, 2357 DOI: 10.1039/C9AN02309G

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements