title: A highly sensitive system for urea detection by using CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots.
abstract: An original and novel assay system with urease as a catalyst and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) as an indicator has been developed for quantitative analysis of urea. By mixing urease and QDs, the determination of urea can be performed in a quantitative manner. The detection is based on the enhancement of QD photoluminescence (PL) intensity, which is correlated to the enzymatic degradation of urea. By controlling the buffer concentration and pH, PL enhancement due to the degradation of urea is linear in the urea concentration ranging from 0.01 to 100mM. This property makes the urease/QDs system to be a promising urea-biosensing system. The newly developed system is a superior design and possesses many advantages, including its simple preparation, low cost, no enzyme immobilization required, high flexibility, and good sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chiao Tung University, Ta-Hsueh Road, 30010 Hsinchu, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chin-Ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yaw-Kuen
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Teng-Ming
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D045663:Quantum Dots; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry*; D014508:Urea / Q000032:analysis*; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D018036:Selenium Compounds; D013440:Sulfides; D017967:Zinc Compounds; D014508:Urea; C058667:cadmium selenide; C031238:zinc sulfide