Synthesizing a nano-composite of BSA-capped Au nanoclusters/graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets as a new fluorescent probe for dopamine detection

•A strong red fluorescent nano-composite, g-C3N4 NSs-AuNCs, was synthesized and characterized.•The g-C3N4 NSs-AuNCs were used as sensor for analysis of dopamine (DA).•As comparison with g-C3N4 NSs, higher sensitivity and selectivity were obtained.•The quenching mechanism of the sensor for the analysis of dopamine was studied.•The sensor was for sensitive analysis of DA in spiked human serum and urine sample.

A strong red fluorescent nanocomposite, consisting of graphite-like carbon nitride nanosheets (g-C3N4 NSs) and serum albumin-capped Au nanoclusters (AuNCs), was synthesized. Dopamine (DA) can quench the red fluorescence of the nanocomposite, based on the Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism. In this quenching process, the energy is transferred from the fluorescent g-C3N4 NSs-AuNCs to the oxidized DA quinine molecules (DA is easily oxidated to form DA quinine in air). The red fluorescence emission at 420 nm decreases dramatically and the quenching ratio (F0 - F)/F0 is linearly related to the concentration of DA in the range of 0.05-8.0 μmol L−1 with a detection limit of 0.018 μmol L−1 (S/N = 3). Additionally, this sensor has a potential of application to assay the DA in the real samples, such as human serum and human urine.

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