Electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) has been widely used as a signal readout method in sensor, assay development, and commercial platforms. Ratiometric analysis of ECL signals at different overpotentials is employed for the detection of certain piperazine drugs with tertiary amine molecular structures. This generalizable strategy mitigates the limitations of most ECL-based analysis that requires: 1. Recognition elements such as the antibody, nucleic acid sequences, etc., for signal specificity; and 2. Additional coreactants to enhance the signal intensity of the ECL luminophore. Lipoic acid stabilized gold nanoclusters (NCs) as near-IR ECL luminophore was filmed onto the surface of the indium-tin-oxide electrode and quantitated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Self-annihilation ECL of the AuNCs films and ECL with representative coreactants are characterized with potential scanning and step waveforms. Anodic ECL and faradic current at different overpotentials are recorded with treatment drugs such as hydroxyzine (HDZ) and cetirizine (CTZ). Ratiometric signal analysis successfully discriminates these compounds with very similar voltammograms, which would not be feasible with routine single-point based analysis. Sub-nanomolar detection limit and calibration profiles over five/six order magnitudes are achieved. The ratiometric near IR ECL analysis is anticipated useful for applications such as therapeutic drug monitoring, especially those within a narrow therapeutic reference range.

Ratiometric analysis based on near-infrared electrochemiluminescence of gold nanocluster films

ACS Fall 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.