Microfluidic paper-based fluorescent sensing device using citric acid derived carbon dots-tungsten sulfide spheres
Shan Arif1, Mahjabeen Hassan1, Sufian Rasheed1
1HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
Abstract:
Secnidazole, a second-generation nitroimidazole, is widely used to treat various infections, including bacterial vaginosis, amoebiasis, and giardiasis, particularly in the treatment of female genital infections. Herein, a smartphone-based sensing platform has been developed in conjunction with a microfluidic-based paper device, enabling the visual, quick, sensitive, and quantitative analysis of secnidazole in real-time through fluorescence "Turn off". In addition to its high sensitivity for label-free and on-site detection of secnidazole, the proposed sensing device demonstrated a prominent anti-interference capability, ensuring accurate on-site identification. The N-CDs@WS2-based fluorescent sensor exhibited a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.117 μM (117 nM) and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.3573 μM (357 nM) for secnidazole. The portable sensor effectively enabled real-time monitoring of secnidazole in serum samples, yielding encouraging outcomes and paving the way for its accurate on-site detection. The detection efficiency of the sensor is validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended LC-MS and UPLC methods. As indicated by the recoveries from UPLC, LC-MS, and N-CDs@WS2-based sensing device, the proposed sensor can quantitaively analyze secnidazole in real samples.
