A smartphone-based ratiometric fluorescent sensing system for on-site detection of pyrethroids by using blue-green dual-emission carbon dots

Food Chem. 2022 Jun 15:379:132154. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.132154. Epub 2022 Jan 15.

Abstract

Exploring the high-performance fluorescence strategy for on-site monitoring of pyrethroids is of great significance to the protection of the ecological environment and human health. Aiming at attaining precise onsite analysis, blue-green dual-emission carbon dots (CDs) were used as well-resolved optosensing centers, and an innovative ratiometric fluorescence core-shell nanosphere was constructed using molecular imprinting in this study. The ratiometric fluorescent signal of the CDs was used by the nanospheres to realize on-site quantitative detection of pyrethroids with excellent selectivity. The detection range of this ratiometric sensing platform was 1-150 μg/L and the limit of detection (LOD) was obtained, as low as 0.048 μg/L. Importantly, the core-shell nanospheres exhibited fluorescence changes on exposure to pyrethroids under UV irradiation. A smartphone application was used to output the color channel values of the captured images. The smartphone-based ratiometric sensing system was used for the quantitative detection of pyrethroid with a sensitive LOD of 0.61 μg/L, which could meet the needs of real analytical samples. This sensing platform showed great application potential for the on-site detection of pesticide residues in agriculture food and pollution control in resource-limited environments.

Keywords: Fruit; Optosensing; Pesticide residues; Surface imprinted polymer; Tea; Vegetable.

MeSH terms

  • Carbon
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Humans
  • Limit of Detection
  • Pyrethrins*
  • Quantum Dots*
  • Smartphone

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Pyrethrins
  • Carbon