Facile preparation of FITC-modified silicon nanodots for ratiometric pH sensing and imaging
Abstract
A ratiometric fluorescent pH sensor was facilely constructed by covalent modification of amino-terminated silicon nanodots (SiND) with pH-sensitive fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). After optimization, the SiND-FITC(40:1) material with a SiND:FITC initial mass ratio of 40:1 was selected for the sensing of hydrogen ions. It was observed that the material inherits the unique features of SiND and FITC, and there is significant improvement of SiND acid-base stability, which is a favorable factor in terms of providing fluorescence reference signal. The SiND-FITC(40:1) material displays not only high pH sensitivity, but also good stability and anti-interference ability, and the response process is highly reversible. Deploying the SiND-FITC(40:1) material, we have made available a simple, sensitive, and precise approach for pH sensing. In aqueous solutions, the I517/I466 fluorescence intensity ratio of SiND-FITC(40:1) increases linearly in the pH range of 5.40-7.76. This dual emission nanosensor was successfully applied for pH sensing and cellular fluorescence imaging.
- Publication:
-
Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular Spectroscopy
- Pub Date:
- June 2020
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.saa.2020.118276
- Bibcode:
- 2020AcSpA.23418276Z
- Keywords:
-
- Silicon nanodot;
- Fluorescein isothiocyanate;
- pH sensing;
- Fluorescence imaging