Development of a novel fluorescent aptasensor based on the interaction between hexagonal β-Co(OH)2 nanoplates and nitrogen-doped carbon dots for ultrasensitive detection of patulin

There is an urgent need to develop an economical and convenient method for the ultrasensitive detection of patulin (PAT), a mycotoxin that can potentially harm human health when it is found in fruits and their derivatives. In this study, we have developed a novel fluorescent aptasensor that utilizes nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) as the fluorescent donor and hexagonal β-Co(OH) 2 nanoplates as the fluorescent acceptor. N-CDs were synthesized through the hydrothermal method, resulting in spherical particles with a diameter of 7.6 nm. These nanoparticles exhibited excellent water solubility and displayed a vibrant blue emission at 448 nm when excited at 360 nm. Cobalt hydroxide nanoplates with a beta crystal structure [β-Co(OH) 2 ] were synthesized using a simple co-precipitation method, exhibiting hexagonal plate-like shapes with uniform lateral sizes of 4–5 μm. The fluorescence of N-CDs can be efficiently quenched by hexagonal β-Co(OH) 2 nanoplates through Förster resonance energy transfer mechanism. The maximum quenching-recovery capability can be achieved when the concentrations of N-CDs-Apt and β-Co(OH) 2 nanoplates are 150 nmol/L and 100 μg/mL, respectively. The pH of the TE buffer should be 8.0, and the incubation time should be 10 min at 25 °C. The developed fluorescent aptasensor displayed an excellent selectivity for PAT determination with a detection limit of 0.57 pg/mL in the linear range of 1.25 pg/mL-100 ng/mL. The rapid PAT determination in fruit juice samples was realized with good recoveries (96.9–105.8%). The developed fluorescent aptasensor based on the interaction between N-CDs and hexagonal β-Co(OH) 2 nanoplates can be a promising method for the rapid and ultrasensitive detection of PAT in agricultural products.