Nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon dot-based ratiometric fluorescent probe for Zn2+ sensing and imaging in living cells

• Published in: Mikrochimica acta (1966) Vol. 189; no. 3; p. 107
• Main Authors: Chen, Shengyu, Li, Suping, Liu, Xiaofeng, Shi, Bingfang, Huang, Yijun, Zhao, Shulin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vienna Springer Vienna 01.03.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Carbon dots; Cells (biology); Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Fluorescent indicators; Fluoroscopic imaging; Glutathione; Microengineering; Nanochemistry; Nanotechnology; Nitrogen; Original Paper; Sulfur; detection; Ratiometric fluorescent probe; Zn; Cell imaging; Near-infrared N,S-CDs
• ISSN: 0026-3672; 1436-5073
• DOI: 10.1007/s00604-022-05188-7

A near-infrared nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon dot (N,S-CD)-based ratiometric fluorescent probe is proposed that is synthesized via hydrothermal approach using glutathione and formamide as precursor for sensing and imaging of Zn 2+ . The prepared N,S-CDs facilitate binding with Zn 2+ owing to N and S atom doping. The ratio (I 650 /I 680 ) of fluorescence intensity at 650 nm and 680 nm increased with the concentrations of Zn 2+ when the excitation wavelength was 415 nm. The linearity range was 0.01 to 1.0 μM Zn 2+ with a detection limit of 5.0 nM Zn 2+ . The proposed probe was applied to label-free monitoring of Zn 2+ in real samples and fluorescent imaging of Zn 2+ in living cells, which confirmed its promising applications. Graphical abstract