F-doped silicon quantum dots as a novel fluorescence nanosensor for quantitative detection of new coccine and application in food samples

As a kind of common colorant, new coccine has been applied in many scenes of daily life. In this study, innovative F-doped silicon quantum dots (F-SiQDs) which prepared by a facile one-step hydrothermal treatment were designed for the detection of new coccine. Systematic studies demonstrate that the obtained F-SiQDs exhibited excellent dispersibility and photostability, with the optimal emission at 475 nm and fluorescence quantum yield reached to 25.19%. The fluorescence intensity can be quenched by new coccine due to the principle of IFE, and the corresponding process was decreased rapidly within 1 min. At the same time, the quenching process showed a notable linear relationship within the concentration of new coccine range from 1–100 μmol/L and 100–200 μmol/L with the detection limits of 0.33 and 0.18 μmol/L, respectively. The developed F-SiQDs were successfully adopted to the determination of new coccine in food samples, and also achieved the desired detection results after being coated on the filter-paper. This work highlights the merits of simplicity, fast response and highly selective for new coccine detection, and implements a potential avenue for the utilization of F-SiQDs in the guidance of food safety and food management.