Turn-on fluorescence detection of ascorbic acid with gold nanolcusters

• Published in: Talanta (Oxford) 2017-04, Vol.165, p.346-350
• Main Authors: Meng, Huijie, Yang, Dongqin, Tu, Yifeng, Yan, Jilin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antioxidant; Ascorbic acid; Fluorescence; Gold nanoclusters; Iodine
• ISSN: 0039-9140; 1873-3573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2016.12.047

In this report, a sensitive fluorescent detection of ascorbic acid was developed with protein-stabilized gold nanoclusters. The fluorescence signal from the gold nanoclusters could be effectively quenched by elemental iodine. This kind of quenching could be inhibited by ascorbic acid through a corresponding reduction process, thus a turn-on response toward ascorbic acid was obtained. The validity and performances of the detection scheme were evaluated. The fluorescence responses were linearly related to ascorbic acid in the concentration range 0.1–10μM, and the method was capable of detecting ascorbic acid down to 22nM. The high performances of the developed scheme greatly simplified the sample preparation step, and the method was successfully applied for real sample analyses. [Display omitted] •Iodine together with iodide etched the metallic core of gold nanoclusters and brought in fluorescence quenching.•Ascorbic acid reduced iodine into iodide and inhibited related quenching.•A "turn-on" fluorescence detection of ascorbic acid down to 22nM was obtained.