Molecularly imprinted polymer-modified carbon dots as a fluorescent probe for caffeic acid detection

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Caffeic acid is a natural phenolic compound with health benefits at certain levels but can cause toxicity with excessive intake.
• Accurate and rapid detection of caffeic acid in serum is crucial for clinical medication guidance, drug monitoring, and health management.
• Existing detection methods may lack the precision or speed required for timely clinical and health assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sensitive and selective fluorescent probe for the quantitative detection of caffeic acid in human serum.
• To create a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) based fluorescent probe utilizing blue fluorescent carbon dots (bCDs).
• To validate the probe's performance, including its limit of detection and applicability in real biological samples.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized blue fluorescent carbon dots (bCDs) using a hydrothermal method with citric acid and diethylenetriamine.
• Constructed a molecularly imprinted silica shell onto the bCDs surface via a sol-gel process to create the bCDs@MIP probe.
• Utilized fluorescence quenching mechanism where caffeic acid binding to MIP cavities reduces fluorescence intensity for quantification.

Main Results:

• The bCDs@MIP probe demonstrated selective binding to caffeic acid through molecular imprinting.
• A positive correlation was observed between reduced fluorescence intensity and increasing caffeic acid concentration.
• Achieved a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.15 µM for caffeic acid.
• Successfully applied the probe for caffeic acid determination in human serum samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed bCDs@MIP fluorescent probe offers a promising and sensitive strategy for caffeic acid analysis.
• The probe's selectivity and sensitivity enable accurate quantification in complex matrices like human serum.
• This method provides a valuable tool for clinical diagnostics, therapeutic drug monitoring, and health management related to caffeic acid intake.