Fluorescent sensor array for separation-free dopamine analogue discrimination via polyethyleneimine-mediated...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Dopamine (DA) analogues possess subtle structural differences, complicating their analysis and typically requiring separation techniques.
• Developing sensitive and selective methods for DA analogue discrimination is crucial for various applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct a hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (hPEI)-based fluorescent sensor array for separation-free differentiation of four DA analogues.
• To enable effective discrimination of individual DA analogues and their mixtures.

Main Methods:

• Formation of fluorescent polymer nanoparticles (FPNs) through hPEI-mediated self-polymerization of DA analogues.
• Utilizing linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) on FPN fluorescence patterns for discrimination.

Main Results:

• Achieved excellent discrimination of four DA analogues at 1.0 μM concentration by combining LDA and HCA.
• Successfully distinguished binary, tertiary, and quaternary mixtures of DA analogues.
• Validated sensor array performance with 100% accuracy on 88 blind samples.

Conclusions:

• The hPEI-based fluorescent sensor array offers a robust platform for the separation-free discrimination of DA analogues.
• The developed method demonstrates high sensitivity, selectivity, and practical applicability for complex mixture analysis.