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An intrinsic Eu(III) luminescence phenomenon of Eu(III) complex was found under near-infrared light (NIRL) excitation of xenon lamp, and the maximum excitation wavelength is about twice the excitation wavelength of its Stokes fluorescence. The NIRL excitation fluorescence was mainly originated from second order diffracted light (SODL) excitation. The Eu(III) complex was consist of Eu(III), Gd(III), 2-trifluoroacetylacetone (TTA) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Curcumin (Cur) could notably quench the luminescence intensity of the Eu(III) complex. Based on this, a sensitive method for Cur detection was developed. Under optimum conditions, the decrease extent in the fluorescence intensity at 611 nm exhibited a good linear relationship with the Cur concentration in the range of 2.0 × 10−9 mol/L - 6.0 × 10−8 mol/L under 746 nm excitation, the limit of detection (LOD, S/N = 3) was 5.2 × 10−10 mol/L. While, the linear relationship and the LOD of Stokes fluorescence method (λex/λem = 360/611 nm) were found to be 1.0 × 10−8 mol/L - 6.0 × 10−8 mol/L and 2.6 × 10−9 mol/L, respectively. The former method is superior to the latter one in Cur detection. Both two methods were successfully applied to determine Cur in real samples. The luminescence mechanism of Eu(III) complex under the NIRL excitation and the quenching mechanism of Cur on the Eu(III) fluorescence was also investigated.

A sensitive fluorescent analytical method for the detection of dopamine (DA) was developed based on surface-enhanced Tb(III)/La(III) co-luminescence using silver nanoflowers (AgNFs). Anisotropic AgNFs show strong surface-enhanced fluorescence effect owing to the abundant sharp tips. Tb(III)/La(III)-DA complexes mainly bind to the sharp tips of AgNFs and thus shorten the distance between the complexes. The shortened distance gives rise to obvious surface-enhanced Tb(III)/La(III) co-luminescence effect. In this work, AgNFs offer many superior properties, such as enhanced intrinsic green fluorescence of Tb(III) (λex/λem = 310/546 nm), increased fluorescence lifetime, and improved energy transfer efficiency. Under the optimum conditions, the fluorescence intensity is linearly correlated with the concentration of DA in the range of 0.80–10 nM (R2 = 0.9970), and the detection limit is 0.34 nM (S/N = 3). The fluorescent nanoprobe was successfully applied to the determination of DA in human serum samples with recoveries ranging from 99.1 to 102.6%.

A nanoprobe was developed for the fluorometric determination of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA). It is based on the synergistic enhancement action of citrate and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the luminescence of Tb(III). AuNPs serve as substrates of surface enhanced fluorescence (SEF). Citrate, in turn, acts as a spacer for the SEF effect, a co-ligand of Tb(III) complex, and a recognizing component for DA. The synergistic action of citrate and AuNPs significantly increases the intrinsic green fluorescence of Tb(III) (best measured at excitation/emission peaks of 300/547 nm). Under the optimum conditions, the fluorescence intensity increases linearly in the 3.0 to 200 nM DA concentration ranging (with an R2 value of 0.9959), and the limit of detection (at S/N = 3) is 0.84 nM. The nanoprobe shows good selectivity for DA among other interfering neurotransmitters, some amino acids and ions. The method was applied to the detection of DA in human serum samples where it gave recoveries ranging from 100.5 to 102.9%.