Fluorescence sensing of cyanide anions based on Au-modified upconversion nanoassemblies.

Chunning Sun,Michael Gradzielski

doi:10.1039/d0an01954b

Chunning Sun, Michael Gradzielski

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1039/d0an01954b

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Abstract

Cyanides have been recognized as one of the most toxic chemicals and are harmful to the environment and human beings. Herein, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based upconversion nanoprobes for cyanide anions have been designed and prepared by assembling Au nanoparticles (NPs) on core-shell-structured NaYF4:Yb,Er@NaYF4:Yb upconversion NPs (csUCNPs), where csUCNPs act as the energy donor and Au NPs act as the energy acceptor. The Au content was optimized in order to have a large quenching efficiency in upconversion luminescence (UCL). The cyanide-mediated redox reaction leads to the consumption of Au NPs, resulting in UCL recovery by the inhibition of the FRET process. On the basis of these features, csUCNP/Au nanoassemblies can serve as sensitive nanoprobes for cyanide ions with a detection limit of 1.53 μM. Moreover, no significant UCL variation was observed upon the addition of other interfering ions, showing the excellent selectivity of nanoprobes toward cyanide ion sensing. The easy preparation of such upconversion-based nanoprobes provides a promising platform for sensitive and selective sensing of other hazardous species.

Highlights

Unlike toxic metal cations, causing severe damage by virtue of their accumulative feature in organs, cyanide is a well-known hazardous anionic species, which can strongly interact with cytochrome c oxidase, resulting in the failure of oxygen transport to the mitochondria and leading to the death of human beings and aquatic life within minutes by affecting the central nervous system even at a low concentration.[1]
Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based upconversion nanoprobes for cyanide anions have been designed and prepared by assembling Au nanoparticles (NPs) on core–shell-structured NaYF4:Yb,Er@NaYF4:Yb upconversion NPs, where csUCNPs act as the energy donor and Au NPs act as the energy acceptor
Au-modified csUCNP nanoassemblies can be applied as fluorescent nanoprobes for cyanide anions based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism, where csUCNPs act as the energy donor and Au NPs act as the energy acceptor

Summary

Introduction

Unlike toxic metal cations, causing severe damage by virtue of their accumulative feature in organs, cyanide is a well-known hazardous anionic species, which can strongly interact with cytochrome c oxidase, resulting in the failure of oxygen transport to the mitochondria and leading to the death of human beings and aquatic life within minutes by affecting the central nervous system even at a low concentration.[1].

Results

Conclusion