β-Cyclodextrin coated CdSe/ZnS quantum dots for vanillin sensoring in food samples

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Accurate quantification of vanillin in food is crucial for quality control and consumer safety.
• Existing methods for vanillin detection may lack selectivity or sensitivity.
• Development of rapid and reliable sensing platforms is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel optical sensor for selective vanillin detection in food samples.
• To utilize the host-guest interaction between vanillin and beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) for sensing.
• To characterize the synthesized β-CD-CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) and their fluorescence properties.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and optimization of β-cyclodextrin-modified CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (β-CD-CdSe/ZnS-QDs).
• Investigation of fluorescence quenching of β-CD-CdSe/ZnS-QDs upon interaction with vanillin.
• Application of the Stern-Volmer equation to analyze the quenching mechanism.
• Validation of the sensor using synthetic and real food samples.

Main Results:

• The developed sensor demonstrated selective vanillin detection based on fluorescence quenching.
• The interaction mechanism followed the Stern-Volmer equation.
• A low limit of detection (0.99 µg mL⁻¹) was achieved.
• High reproducibility (4.1% RSD) and recovery (90-105%) were observed in food samples.

Conclusions:

• The β-CD-CdSe/ZnS-QDs optical sensor is a promising tool for selective and sensitive vanillin determination in food.
• The host-guest interaction provides a robust mechanism for vanillin sensing.
• This method offers a viable alternative for food analysis, ensuring product safety and quality.