Novel magnetic fluorescence probe based on carbon quantum dots-doped molecularly imprinted polymer for AHLs signaling molecules sensing in fish juice and milk

Abstract A magnetic fluorescence probe was fabricated by coating carbon quantum dots-doped molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) layers on the surface of Fe3O4 particles (MFMP) for detection of N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) signaling molecules. N-Z- L -homoserine lactone molecular was used as the template to prepare AHLs MIP layers, employing MAA and HEMA as functional monomers. The developed MFMP owned superparamagnetism, fluorescence, fast response and class-selectivity. If AHLs (C4-HSL, C6-HSL, C8-HSL, C10-HSL, C12-HSL and C14-HSL) were captured by the MFMP, they quenched the fluorescence of the probe. Fluorescence dropped linearly in the concentration ranges of 3.65 × 10−3 μmol/L–0.96 × 10−1 μmol/L for AHLs. The MFMP was applied to the analysis of fish juice and milk samples, and recoveries ranged from 83.10% to 90.74% with relative standard deviation less than 5.1%. This study offered a novel strategy to fabricated AHLs fluorescence probe with great potential for wide-ranging application in agri-food products.