A novel fluorescent nanoprobe based on DNA silver nanoclusters for the detection of DEQ

A novel fluorescent nanoprobe, constructed from silver nanoclusters templated by DNA, was developed for the detection of the cationic surfactant didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DEQ). The presence of DEQ significantly diminishes the fluorescence intensity of the DNA-AgNCs. This reduction can be attributed to the negatively charged phosphate groups in the DNA-AgNCs, which, upon electrostatic adsorption, interact with the positively charged DEQ. This interaction leads to electron transfer from the DNA-AgNCs to DEQ, resulting in fluorescence quenching. The nanoprobe demonstrates a good linear range from 0 to 100 μM and a satisfactory detection limit of 2.0 μM. Moreover, the proposed nanoprobe has shown effective performance in DEQ detection in simulated wastewater.