A highly sensitive colorimetric sensor for adrenaline detection based on organic molecules-functionalized gold nanoparticles

Herein, a simple and rapid colorimetric adrenaline sensor based on 4-amino-3-hydrazino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazol (AHMT)-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was presented. This assay relied upon the distance-dependent optical properties of AuNPs, and the aggregation of AuNPs was induced by the strong hydrogen bonding between AHMT and adrenaline. The colorimetric sensor exhibited a high sensitivity with a low detection limit of 1   nM. Furthermore, we demonstrated the application of the present approach in human serum sample, which suggested its great potential for diagnostic purposes.