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Fluorometric determination of pesticides and organophosphates using nanoceria as a phosphatase mimic and an inner filter effect on carbon nanodots

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Abstract

Nanoceria with a remarkable phosphatase mimicking activity was synthesized and used to catalyze the hydrolysis of phosphate esters in pH 10 solution. The catalytic effect of nanoceria was firstly investigated by selecting p-nitrophenyl phosphate as a model substrate. The pH value, incubation temperature, reaction time, and concentration of nanoceria were optimized. The catalytic effect was then confirmed by using methyl-paraoxon as a substrate. The p-nitrophenol anion released by the enzyme mimic is yellow and exerts an inner filter effect on the fluorescence of the carbon dots (with excitation/emission maxima at 400/520 nm). Response to methyl-paraoxon is linear in the 1.125–26.25 μmol L−1 concentration range. The method was applied to the determination of pesticides in spiked Panax quinquefolius and water samples. Recoveries ranged from 85 to 103% (n = 3). The technique is rapid, reliable, and can be used for on-site detection of pesticides and organophosphates.

Schematic presentation of a fluorometric technique for the detection of organophosphate compound and pesticide using nanoceria as a phosphatase mimic and an inner filter effect on the blue fluorescence of carbon dots (with excitation/emission maxima at 400/520 nm).

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from Macau Science and Technology Development Fund (162/2017/A3), and the Research Committee of the University of Macau (MYRG2018-00239-ICMS and MYRG2014-00089-ICMS-QRCM).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, 999078, China

    Jinchao Wei, Yu Yang & Peng Li

  2. Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Macau, 999078, China

    Jiayi Dong & Shuangpeng Wang

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  1. Jinchao Wei
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Correspondence to Shuangpeng Wang or Peng Li.

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Wei, J., Yang, Y., Dong, J. et al. Fluorometric determination of pesticides and organophosphates using nanoceria as a phosphatase mimic and an inner filter effect on carbon nanodots. Microchim Acta 186, 66 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-018-3175-x

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