title: Facile sonochemical synthesis of pH-responsive copper nanoclusters for selective and sensitive detection of Pb(2+) in living cells.
abstract: A one-pot sonochemical reaction of Cu(NO3)2 with glutathione (GSH), the latter functioning as a reducing agent and a stabilizing agent, rapidly affords Cu nanoclusters (NCs). The as-prepared GSH-CuNCs possess a small size (∼2.2 ± 0.2 nm), red luminescence with quantum yield (5.3%), and water-dispersibility. Moreover, the fluorescence of the as-prepared GSH-CuNCs is responsive to pH so that the intensity of fluorescence increases rapidly with decreasing pH from 9 to 4. Besides, the GSH-CuNCs would be aggregated by Pb(2+) ions in aqueous solution which results in quenching of the fluorescence. Therefore, such GSH-CuNCs would be excellent candidates as fluorescent probes for the label-free detection of Pb(2+) with the limit of detection at 1.0 nM. Importantly, CAL-27 cells are used as models to achieve potential application as probes for monitoring Pb(2+) in living cells. Thus, these fluorescent CuNCs could work as an alternative to conventional fluorescent probes for biolabeling, sensing and other applications.
authors.affiliation: China-Australia Joint Research Centre for Functional Molecular Materials, School of Chemical & Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, P. R. China. chizhang@jiangnan.edu.cn wangcx@jiangnan.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Chuanxi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Yijun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Zhenzhu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Huihui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D013010:Sonication
chemical_list: D007854:Lead; D003300:Copper; D005978:Glutathione