Identification of catecholamine neurotransmitters using fluorescence sensor array

•We have proposed a fluorescence sensor array to detect catecholamine neurotransmitters.•Visual differentiation of catecholamines is provided by fluorescence array fingerprints.•Discrimination of catecholamines from each other, and from their mixture is obtained on a PCA plot.•Proposed sensor array can be used for detection of catecholamines in urine samples.

A nano-based sensor array has been developed for identification and discrimination of catecholamine neurotransmitters based on optical properties of their oxidation products under alkaline conditions. To produce distinct fluorescence response patterns for individual catecholamine, quenching of thioglycolic acid functionalized cadmium telluride (CdTe) quantum dots, by oxidation products, were employed along with the variation of fluorescence spectra of oxidation products. The spectral changes were analyzed with hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) to identify catecholamine patterns. The proposed sensor could efficiently discriminate the individual catecholamine (i.e., dopamine, norepinephrine, and l-DOPA) and their mixtures in the concentration range of 0.25–30 μmol L−1. Finally, we found that the sensor had capability to identify the various catecholamines in urine sample.

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