Fluorescent carbon nanoparticles: A low-temperature trypsin-assisted preparation and Fe3+ sensing

• A one-pot and low-temperature synthetic method for the fluorescent CNPs.
• Synthesis mechanism of the CNPs.
• A “turn-off” fluorescence sensor for fast, sensitive, and selective detection of Fe3+.
• The synergistic action of the inner filter effect and static quenching mechanism.

In recent years, extensive researches are focused on the fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) due to their excellent photochemical, biocompatible and water-soluble properties. However, these synthesis methods are generally suffered from tedious processes. In this paper, fluorescent carbon nanoparticles are synthesized by a facile, one-pot, low-temperature method with trypsin and dopamine as precursors. The synthesis process avoids any heating operation and organic solvent, which provides a “green” and effective preparation route. The obtained CNPs exhibit excellent water-solubility, salt-tolerance and photostability. Based on the synergistic action of the inner filter effect and static quenching mechanism, the CNPs are exploited as a “turn-off” fluorescence sensor for sensitive and selective detection of Fe3+ ions. The probe shows a wide linear range from 0.1 to 500 μM, with a limit of detection of 30 nM. Furthermore, the as-fabricated fluorescent sensing system is successfully applied to the analysis of Fe3+ in biological samples such as human urine and serum samples with satisfactory recoveries (92.8–113.3%).

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