A sensitive method for the detection of catecholamine based on fluorescence quenching of CdSe nanocrystals

A sensitive method for the detection of catecholamine based on the fluorescence quenching of CdSe nanocrystals was developed. The sodium citrate-protected CdSe nanocrystals were synthesized in water solution. The fluorescence quenching of CdSe nanocrystals by dopamine, uric acid, ascorbic acid and catechol was studied; the results showed that all of these four kinds of compounds could quench the fluorescence of nanocrystals, and the quenching constant was 6.3 × 104, 2.57 × 103, 2.14 × 103 and 1.168 × 103, respectively. The order of sensitivity for the biosensor was: dopamine > lactic acid > ascorbic acid > catechol. This method shows good selectivity for dopamine, the detection limit reaches 5.8 × 10−8 M.