Citrate-stabilized CdSe/CdS quantum dots as fluorescence probe for protein determination

A rapid, ultrasensitive and convenient fluorescence measurement technology based on the enhancement of the fluorescence intensity resulting from the interaction of functionalized CdSe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was proposed. The citrate-stabilized CdSe/CdS (QDs) were synthesized by using Se powder and Na₂S as precursors instead of any pyrophoric organometallic precursors. The modified CdSe/CdS QDs are brighter and more stable against photobleaching in comparison with organic fluorophores. At pH 7.0, the fluorescence signal of CdSe/CdS is enhanced by increasing the concentration of BSA in the range of 0.1–10 μg/mL, and the low detection limit is 0.06 μg/mL. A linear relationship between the enhanced fluorescence peak intensity (ΔF) and BSA concentration (c) is established using equation ΔF=50.7c+16.4 (R=0.996 36). Results of determination for BSA in three synthetic samples are identical with the true values, and the recovery (98.9%–102.4%) and relative standard deviation (RSD, 1.8%–2.5%) are satisfactory.