Duong Pham Van, Thi Le Anh, Hung Phung Quang, Toan Le Duc, Chuyen Pham Thi, Hieu Do Minh, Minh Pham Hong, Binh Nguyen Thanh, Cuong Tran Manh, Hoa Nguyen Minh
Institute of Physics, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 10 Dao Tan, Hanoi, 10000, Vietnam.
Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, 550000, Vietnam.
J Fluoresc. 2025 Mar 19. doi: 10.1007/s10895-025-04246-6.
Carbon quantum dots (CQDs), with their remarkable optical properties such as strong fluorescence and biocompatibility, are emerging as versatile tools in biosensing and food safety monitoring. This study investigates binding-induced Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between CQDs as donors and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a highly toxic mycotoxin, as the acceptor. Spherical CQDs, averaging 4.56 nm in diameter and emitting fluorescence at 455 nm, were synthesized for this purpose. Fluorescence spectroscopy, incorporating Stern-Volmer analysis and time-resolved lifetime measurements, revealed the critical role of FRET in this interaction. The estimated Förster radius (R) of 4.81 nm and donor-acceptor separation distance (r) of 5.12 nm corresponded to a FRET efficiency of 46%. The observed decrease in donor fluorescence lifetime further supports the FRET mechanism. Selectivity experiments confirmed the system's specificity for AFB1 detection, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.439 nM. These findings underscore the potential of FRET-based CQD systems for sensitive and selective AFB1 detection, highlighting their versatility in fluorescence-based sensing applications and their promise for rapid food safety monitoring.
碳量子点（CQDs）凭借其诸如强荧光和生物相容性等卓越光学特性，正成为生物传感和食品安全监测领域的多功能工具。本研究探究了作为供体的碳量子点与作为受体的黄曲霉毒素B1（AFB1，一种剧毒霉菌毒素）之间的结合诱导荧光共振能量转移（FRET）。为此合成了平均直径为4.56纳米且在455纳米处发射荧光的球形碳量子点。结合斯特恩 - 沃尔默分析和时间分辨寿命测量的荧光光谱揭示了FRET在这种相互作用中的关键作用。估计的福斯特半径（R）为4.81纳米，供体 - 受体分离距离（r）为5.12纳米，对应的FRET效率为46%。观察到的供体荧光寿命的降低进一步支持了FRET机制。选择性实验证实了该系统对AFB1检测的特异性，检测限（LOD）为0.439纳摩尔。这些发现强调了基于FRET的碳量子点系统在灵敏且选择性检测AFB1方面的潜力，突出了它们在基于荧光的传感应用中的多功能性以及在快速食品安全监测方面的前景。
