A highly sensitive system for urea detection by using CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots

An original and novel assay system with urease as a catalyst and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) as an indicator has been developed for quantitative analysis of urea. By mixing urease and QDs, the determination of urea can be performed in a quantitative manner. The detection is based on the enhancement of QD photoluminescence (PL) intensity, which is correlated to the enzymatic degradation of urea. By controlling the buffer concentration and pH, PL enhancement due to the degradation of urea is linear in the urea concentration ranging from 0.01 to 100 mM. This property makes the urease/QDs system to be a promising urea-biosensing system. The newly developed system is a superior design and possesses many advantages, including its simple preparation, low cost, no enzyme immobilization required, high flexibility, and good sensitivity.