Rapid detection of malachite green in fish with a fluorescence probe of molecularly imprinted polymer

A fluorescent probe based on CdTe/CdS quantum dots coated with molecularly imprinted polymer shell was designed. The fluorescence emission of the probe was at 622 nm. The probe presented selective adsorption for malachite green and the adsorption caused fluorescence quenching due to fluorescence resonance energy transfer. A linear relationship ranging from 0.05 to 10 μmol·L−1 between relative fluorescence quenching intensities and malachite green concentrations was obtained with a detection limit of 0.029 μmol·L−1. The fluorescent probe was successfully applied to the determination of malachite green in fish with recoveries ranging from 93.3 to 107.7%.