Novel CMC-CdTe / ZnS QDs Nanosensor for the Detection of Anticancer Drug Epirubicin

Epirubicin (EPI) is one of the standard anticancer drugs that apply for various cancers treatment. However, the accumulation of EPI in the human body can be highly toxic, and it causes inevitable harm to organs. As a result, the evaluation of low concentrations of this drug in body samples requires sensitive, rapid, and accurate analysis methods. The fluorescence method is an efficient way in comparison of the traditional methods such as liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, and electrochemical methods. Herein, we synthesized a novel fluorescence nanosensor named CMC-CdTe/ZnS based on using quantum dots (QDs). The structure of the prepared nanosensor is confirmed by different analysis methods such as FT-IR, TGA, and TEM. Besides that, the fluorescence intensity response of CMC-CdTe/ZnS QDs in the presence of Epirubicin drug is investigated. Based on obtained results, not only this nanosensor developed, but also the fluorescence quenching was explained by the typical Stern-Volmer equation. The best linear quenching equation for entitled nanosensor in the presence of Epirubicin is F₀/F = 0.0346Q + 1.08 (R² = 0.99), and the detection limit of Epirubicin is around 0.04 × 10^-6 mol/L at 25 °C. All of the results display that this method could be reliable and suitable approach for determination of Epirubicin in commercial samples as well.