Fluorescence detection of adenosine-5′-triphosphate and alkaline phosphatase based on the generation of CdS quantum dots

•Cd2+ reacts with S2− to generate fluorescent CdS QDs with ATP.•ATP can be hydrolyzed by the enzymatic dephosphorylation of ALP.•Fluorescent CdS QDs could not be generated in the presence of ALP.•The analysis system was successfully applied to assay ATP and ALP.

We have developed an analytical method to detect adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) based on the generation of CdS quantum dots (QDs). We demonstrated that Cd2+ cation reacts with S2− anion to generate fluorescent CdS QDs in the presence of some certain amount of ATP. With increase in the ATP concentration, the fluorescence intensity of CdS QDs was also enhanced. ATP can be converted into adenosine by the dephosphorylation of ALP, so that the generation of CdS QDs would be inhibited in the presence of ALP. Therefore, this novel analysis system could be applied to assay ATP and ALP based on the growth of fluorescent CdS QDs.

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