CdSe quantum dots decorated by mercaptosuccinic acid as fluorescence probe for Cu2+

Water-soluble CdSe quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized using mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) as a stabilizer. The growth process and characterization of CdSe quantum dots were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, Ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Results demonstrated the MSA-capped CdSe QDs were highly crystalline and possessed good optical properties. Further, the resulting products could be used as fluorescent probes to detect Cu2+ ions in physiological buffer solution. The response was linearly proportional to the concentration of Cu2+ ion in the range 2×10−8– 3.5×10−7 mol L−1 with a detection limit of 3.4 nmol L−1.