Fluorescence resonance energy transfer sensor between quantum dot donors and neutral red acceptors and its detection of BSA in micelles

Bovine serum albumin in micelles was effectively detected by a fluorescence resonance energy transfer -based molecular sensor using CdTe quantum dots as energy donors and neutral red as energy acceptors. The fluorescence resonance energy transfer efficiency was enhanced by the construction of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide micelles, which significantly reduced the distance between the donor and the acceptor. The results indicated that the addition of the albumin easily leads to the fluorescence quenching of CdTe-neutral red fluorescence resonance energy transfer due to the formation of CdTe-albumin complexes which have weak affinity to CdTe and repels the dyes from CdTe surface. The fluorescence intensity of the CdTe-neutral red sensor quenched with the increasing concentration of albumin. The linear range of albumin was from 0.4 × 10−3 to 11.00 × 10−3 g L−1. The detection limit was 0.13 g L−1.

► The surfactant sphere acts as a nano-vessel for FRET of TGA-capped CdTe and neutral red.
► The energy transfer efficiency obtained increase in the micelle.
► FRET in the micelle has higher sensitivity, which provides a versatile detection method, which is simple and convenient.