A highly selective fluorescent sensor for chlortetracycline based on histidine-templated copper nanoclusters

Area of Science:

• Nanomaterials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biomedical Sensing

Background:

• Copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) are emerging as promising fluorescent materials.
• Histidine is utilized as a protective agent and template for nanocluster synthesis.
• Accurate detection of antibiotics like chlortetracycline is crucial in medical diagnostics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize histidine-protected copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs@His).
• To develop a fluorescent nanosensor for the detection of chlortetracycline.
• To evaluate the selectivity and applicability of the nanosensor in real medical samples.

Main Methods:

• One-pot synthesis of Cu NCs@His using histidine and ascorbic acid.
• Characterization of Cu NCs@His optical properties (excitation/emission wavelengths).
• Fabrication of a fluorescence quenching-based nanosensor for chlortetracycline detection.

Main Results:

• Cu NCs@His exhibited green fluorescence at 494 nm (excitation 378 nm).
• A linear relationship was observed between fluorescence quenching and chlortetracycline concentration (0.5–200 μM).
• A low detection limit of 0.876 μM and excellent selectivity for chlortetracycline were achieved.

Conclusions:

• The developed Cu NCs@His nanosensor provides a sensitive and selective method for chlortetracycline determination.
• This strategy offers a convenient and direct sensing platform for real medical sample analysis.
• The findings present a novel approach for antibiotic sensing applications.