Non-redox modulated fluorescence strategy for sensitive and selective ascorbic acid detection with highly photoluminescent nitrogen-doped carbon nanoparticles via solid-state synthesis.

Highly photoluminescent nitrogen-doped carbon nanoparticles (N-CNPs) were prepared by a simple and green route employing sodium alginate as a carbon source and tryptophan as both a nitrogen source and a functional monomer. The as-synthesized N-CNPs exhibited excellent water solubility and biocompatibility with a fluorescence quantum yield of 47.9%. The fluorescence of the N-CNPs was intensively suppressed by the addition of ascorbic acid (AA). The mechanism of the fluorescence suppression of the N-CNPs was investigated, and the synergistic action of the inner filter effect (IFE) and the static quenching effect (SQE) contributed to the intensive fluorescence suppression, which was different from those reported for the traditional redox-based fluorescent probes. Owing to the spatial effect and hydrogen bond between the AA and the groups on the N-CNP surface, excellent sensitivity and selectivity for AA detecting was obtained in a wide linear relationship from 0.2 μM to 150 μM. The detection limit was as low as 50 nM (signal-to-noise ratio of 3). The proposed sensing systems also represented excellent sensitivity and selectivity for AA analysis in human biological fluids, providing a valuable platform for AA sensing in clinic diagnostic and drug screening.