Luminescent nanocrystals for nonenzymatic glucose concentration determination

By using a facile, wet-chemical approach, luminescent LaF3:Ce3+/Tb3+ single-crystal nanoparticles were prepared from nitrate and sodium fluoride precursors in a mixture of ethanol and ethylene glycol. These nanoparticles were functionalized with glucose. A novel fluorescence resonance energy transfer method for nonenzymatic glucose determination has been developed by using these glucose-modified nanocrystals. Under the chosen conditions, concentrations of glucose between 0.5 and 25.0 mmol L-1 in aqueous solutions were successfully determined. Owing to their high luminescence and good dispersibility in water, these nanocrystals are also potential fluorescent biolabels for other biological and clinical applications, such as in fluorescence imaging and for immunoassays.