Copper nanoclusters as probes for turn-on fluorescence sensing of L-lysine

• Published in: Talanta (Oxford) 2018-05, Vol.182, p.595-599
• Main Authors: Zhang, Mingming, Qiao, Juan, Zhang, Shufeng, Qi, Li
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Copper nanoclusters; L-lysine; Ovalbumin; Turn-on fluorescence; Urine
• ISSN: 0039-9140; 1873-3573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2018.02.035

Herein, a unique protocol based on copper nanoclusters (CuNCs) probe for turn-on fluorescence sensing of L-lysine was developed. The fluorescent CuNCs with ovalbumin as the stabilizer was prepared by a simple, one-step and green method. When 370 nm was used as the excitation wavelength, the resultant CuNCs exhibited a pale blue fluorescence with the maximum emission at 440 nm. Interestingly, existence of L-lysine evoked the obvious fluorescence intensity increase of CuNCs. The detection limit of the proposed method for L-lysine was 5.5 μM, with a good linear range from 10.0 μM to 1.0 mM (r2 = 0.999). Moreover, the possible mechanism for enhanced fluorescence intensity of CuNCs by addition of L-lysine was explored and discussed briefly. Further, the as-prepared fluorescent CuNCs was successfully applied in detection of L-lysine in urine. Our results demonstrated that L-lysine could be monitored by the probe, providing new path for construction of CuNCs as fluorescent probes and showing great potential in quantification of L-lysine in real samples. [Display omitted] •Fluorescent OVA@CuNCs was successfully synthesized.•Protocol for sensing of L-lysine based on turn-on fluorescence was developed.•Assay with OVA@CuNCs probe was applied for determination of L-Lys in urine.