One-step synthesis of acriflavine-based carbon dots for adenine detection and a theoretical study on the detection mechanism

• Published in: Microchemical journal 2019-07, Vol.148, p.73-78
• Main Authors: Yue, Juan, Li, Li, Miao, Peng, Wang, Zheng, Chang, Zhimin, Shao, Dan, Shao, Haohua, Mei, Qian, Luo, Shi-zhong, Dong, Wen-Fei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0026-265X; 1095-9149
• DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2019.04.041

Adenine detection is important in biomedicine. Here, we report acriflavine-based carbon dots prepared via a one-step synthesis that can detect adenine in aqueous solution via fluorescence. Titration experiments show that the fluorescence intensity of carbon dots increases by up to 35% as the concentration of adenine increases. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy images show that carbon dots have a recognizable lattice structure. Based on this, we built a theoretical model using the DFT method to explain the mechanism by which adenine enhances fluorescence on the carbon dots. [Display omitted] •The acriflavine-based carbon dots prepared via a one-step synthesis can detect adenine in aqueous solution via fluorescence.•The fluorescence intensity of carbon dots increases by up to 35% upon the addition of adenine.•Theoretical calculations were used to study the mechanism by which adenine enhances fluorescence on the carbon dots.