title: A single dual-emissive nanofluorophore test paper for highly sensitive colorimetry-based quantification of blood glucose.
abstract: Fluorescent test papers are promising for the wide applications in the assays of diagnosis, environments and foods, but unlike classical dye-absorption-based pH test paper, they are usually limited in the qualitative yes/no type of detection by fluorescent brightness, and the colorimetry-based quantification remains a challenging task. Here, we report a single dual-emissive nanofluorophore probe to achieve the consecutive color variations from blue to red for the quantification of blood glucose on its as-prepared test papers. Red quantum dots were embedded into silica nanoparticles as a stable internal standard emission, and blue carbon dots (CDs) were further covalently linked onto the surface of silica, in which the ratiometric fluorescence intensity of blue to red is controlled at 5:1. While the oxidation of glucose induced the formation of Fe(3+) ions, the blue emission of CDs was thus quenched by the electron transfer from CDs to Fe(3+), displaying a serial of consecutive color variations from blue to red with the dosage of glucose. The high-quality test papers printed by the probe ink exhibited a dosage-sensitive allochromatic capability with the clear differentiations of ~5, 7, 9, 11mM glucose in human serum (normal: 3-8mM). The blood glucose determined by the test paper was almost in accordance with that measured by a standard glucometer. The method reported here opens a window to the wide applications of fluorescent test paper in biological assays.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211166, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211166, China.
authors.forename: Yujie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Intelligent Machines, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China.
authors.forename: Cui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Intelligent Machines, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China.
authors.forename: Ruilong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211166, China.
authors.forename: Liying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211166, China. Electronic address: shuhudu@njmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Shuhu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Intelligent Machines, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China.
authors.forename: Bianhua
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Intelligent Machines, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Yong
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Intelligent Machines, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China; State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, China. Electronic address: zpzhang@iim.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Zhongping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D057230:Limit of Detection; D010209:Paper; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D013691:Tellurium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D013691:Tellurium; C028337:cadmium telluride
keywords: Blood glucose; Colorimetric quantification; Ratiometric fluorescent probe; Test paper