A novel fluorometric detection of Cu2+ based on self-assembled bilayers

Fluorescent reagent sodium 1-naphthylamine diacetate (NADA) was assembled onto gold electrodes via its electrostatic interaction with cysteine (Cys) that was directly assembled on the gold electrode surface. Formation of the self-assembled bilayers was confirmed and primarily characterized by cyclic voltammetry and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). The Cys modification of the gold electrode prevented direct adsorption of NADA onto the gold electrode and hence eliminated fluorescence quenching by gold. Strong fluorescence was observed from the NADA self-assembled bilayers at gold surface and was highly efficiently quenched by Cu2+ that allowed for an extremely highly sensitive detection of Cu2+ with a detection limit of 0.2 ppt and quantitative detection range of 0.5–9 ppt. The fluorescence from NADA/Cys/Au can be easily regenerated and therefore the present report showed a reusable method for immobilizing reagent in fabricating fluorescent chemosensors.