Preparation of carbon dots-doped terbium phosphonate coordination polymers as ratiometric fluorescent probe for citrate detection

In this work, carbon dots-doped terbium phosphonate coordination polymers (CDs-GMP/Tb) were designed and prepared as ratiometric fluorescent probes for the detection of citrate. The as-prepared CDs-GMP/Tb are prepared and have the merits of high photostability, low toxicity, and excellent biocompatibility. The as-prepared CDs-GMP/Tb as ratiometric fluorescent probes also have better anti-interference ability and stability compared with the traditional single fluorescent probe. The surface morphology, fabrication, and spectroscopy were characterized through a variety of instruments. It confirms that the probes exhibited network structure doping carbon dots. With the addition of citrate, the fluorescence of GMP/Tb at 545 nm was significantly quenched, contrasting to the enhancement of fluorescence of CDs at 454 nm. Under optimum conditions, the detection limit for citrate was 0.47 mu M, with a linear range of 0-200 mu M between citrate concentrations and I-545/I-454. It has high sensitivity, selective, and rapid detection for citrate. The as-prepared CDs-GMP/Tb as ratiometric fluorescent probes were also used for imaging citrate in living cells. These experiment results showed that CDs-GMP/Tb as ratiometric fluorescent probes could be applied to trace citrate detection in the environmental and biological fields. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In this study, carbon dots-doped terbium phosphonate coordination polymers were successfully designed and prepared as ratiometric fluorescent probes for sensitive, selective, and rapid detection of citrate, as well as imaging in living cells. The probes exhibited a network structure doping carbon dots and showed better anti-interference ability and stability compared to traditional single fluorescent probes. These results suggest the potential application of CDs-GMP/Tb as ratiometric fluorescent probes for citrate detection in environmental and biological fields.