Fluorescence quenching capillary analysis for determining trace-level nitrite in food based on the citric acid/ethylenediamine nanodots/nitrite reaction.

Abstract

We found that nitrite after protonation can react with amine radical on citric acid/ethylenediamine carbon nanodots (CA/EDA-CDs) to form nitrosamines, and fluorescence quenching of CA/EDA-CDs occurred during this process. Using the reaction mechanism a fluorescence quenching capillary analysis (FQCA) was developed. After optimized reaction conditions, the following results were obtained: the required concentration of CA/EDA-CDs was 12\u202fmg/L, HCl concentration was 32\u202fmmol/L, and the reaction conducted in room temperature for 20\u202fmin. Under optimized conditions, FQCA has a linear response in 20-500\u202fμg/L in which RSD was less 4.5% (n\u202f=\u202f11), the detection limit was 6.5\u202fμg/L and the recovery was in 95-105%. The measured results were consistent with the national standard method. FQCA has been used for determining nitrite in foods and nature waters. The capillary in FQCA was used as the container for CA/EDA-CDs/NO2- reaction and NO2- determination, and realized trace-level analysis for micro-volume samples (<10\u202fμL/time).