On-site, rapid, and facile determination of gentamicin using a fluorescent resonance energy transfer sensor constructed from nitrogen-carbon quantum dots functionalized by 4,5-imidazole dicarboxylic acid

Understanding Antibiotic Detection with Fluorescence Quantum Dots: A Review

The utilization of fluorescent quantum dots (FL QDs) has gained significant traction in the realm of antibiotic detection, owing to their exceptional FL properties and versatility. Various types of QDs have been tailored to exhibit superior FL characteristics, employing diverse capping agents such as metals, surfactants, polymers, and biomass to protect and stabilize their surfaces. In their evolution, FL QDs have demonstrated both "turn-off" and "turn-on" mechanisms in response to the presence of analytes, offering promising avenues for biosensing applications. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in antibiotic detection utilizing FL QDs as biosensors. It encompasses an extensive examination of different types of FL QDs, including carbon, metal, and core-shell QDs, deployed for the detection of antibiotics. Furthermore, the synthesis methods employed for the fabrication of various FL QDs are elucidated, shedding light on the diverse approaches adopted in their preparation. Moreover, this review delves into the intricate sensing mechanisms underlying FL QDs-based antibiotic detection. Various mechanisms, such as photoinduced electron transfer, electron transfer, charge transfer, Forster resonance energy transfer, static quenching, dynamic quenching, inner filter effect, hydrogen bonding, and aggregation-induced emission, are discussed in detail. These mechanisms provide a robust scientific rationale for the detection of antibiotics using FL QDs, showcasing their potential for sensitive and selective sensing applications. Finally, the review addresses current challenges and offers perspectives on the future improvement of FL QDs in sensing applications. Insights into overcoming existing limitations and harnessing emerging technologies are provided, charting a course for the continued advancement of FL QDs-based biosensing platforms in the field of antibiotic detection.

N-C QDs coated with a molecularly imprinted polymer as a fluorescent probe for detection of penicillin

Many diseases are due to bacterial infections, which are treated by penicillin. Existing methods for penicillin detection have relatively high requirements for sample storage and processing, personnel professionalism, and instruments. Herein, water-soluble N-C quantum dots (QDs) from wheat straw were synthesized in a green way by using an efficient and simple method. The N-C QDs were modified with an imprinted layer by a gel-sol method. Penicillin selectively quenched the fluorescence emission of N-C QDs@MIP, and a linear relationship was obtained in the concentration range of 1.0 × 10-6-15.2 × 10-6 mol L-1. The reliability of the sensor in real sample analysis was satisfactory with results in the range of 93.6%-100%, and the sensor showed good reproducibility and long-term stability. The study provides a simple strategy to fabricate N-C QDs@MIP with a highly selective recognition ability and opens an avenue to develop highly efficient sensing probes for the detection of antibiotics in biological applications.

A selective dual quenching sensor (EY/BG@CDs) for simultaneous monitoring of gentamicin and ketorolac levels in plasma: a highly efficient platform that caters to the needs of therapeutic drug monitoring

This research work introduces a novel sensor that utilizes two fluorophores to enable simultaneous monitoring of gentamicin sulphate (GNT) and ketorolac tromethamine (KET). The innovative sensor is composed of carbon dots (CDs) derived from black grapes (BG) and eosin Y (EY) dye. The interaction between the studied drugs and EY/BG@CDs sensor components allows for their simultaneous detection where GNT quenches the fluorescence of EY at 535 nm without affecting the fluorescence of CDs, while KET quenches the fluorescence of BG@CDs at 385 nm without impacting EY fluorescence. The BG@CDs probe was successfully characterized using various techniques such as absorption spectrophotometry, spectrofluorimetry, TEM imaging, infrared spectroscopic analysis, and XRD analysis. The suggested methodology was observed to be highly sensitive for the simultaneous determination of GNT and KET in their spiked rabbit plasma samples, with wide linear ranges and low limit of detection (LOD) values. The studied drugs were extracted using a highly selective extraction method involving protein precipitation followed by mixed mode solid phase extraction using an Oasis WCX cartridge. The simultaneous determination of GNT and KET is essential due to the potential interactions between the studied drugs. Therefore, this analysis can be used to evaluate the necessity of dose monitoring and the potential adverse effects of co-administration of these drugs.