Synthesis of Amikacin Modified Carbon Dots-Doped Nitrogen and Zinc for <i>Escherichia coli</i> Detection

Abstract

The hydrothermal synthesis of amikacin modified carbon dots-doped nitrogen and zinc- (N,Zn-CDs) and its capacity to detect Escherichia coli (E. coli) have been investigated. Amikacin is one of the aminoglycoside antibiotics utilized in this study as a ligand of N,Zn-CDs to attach to E. coli. This study also examined the effect of nitrogen (N) and zinc (Zn) dopant content on enhancing N,Zn-CDs fluorescence emission intensity. N,Zn-CDs were characterized using a spectrofluorometer, UV-Vis spectrophotometer, FTIR, EDX, XRD, and TEM, which revealed their amorphous nature and average particle size of 3 nm. The emergence of bond vibrations of C=O, CN, and ZnO indicates the success of N and Zn dopants. Amikacin was then included in the structure of N,Zn-CDs to enhance their ability to detect E. coli. The maximum fluorescence intensity was seen in N,Zn-CDs with a mole ratio of 1:4:4 mmol for the carbon precursor, N, and Zn dopants, and a volume of 0.1 mL amikacin. Based on the fluorescence response of amikacin-modified N,Zn-CDs against E. coli, a limit of detection 1,490 cfu mL-1 was obtained.