One-step hydrothermal approach for synthesis of hydroxy functionalized boron nitride nanosheets for fluorescence detection of uric acid in biological samples

In this study, we used boric acid and arginine as precursors to synthesize hydroxyl functionalized boron nitride nanosheets (OH-BNNSs) via a facile hydrothermal technique for the detection of uric acid (UA). The as-prepared OH-BNNSs exhibit bright blue fluorescence under UV light. The fluorescence spectra of OH-BNNSs were obtained at various excitation wavelengths from 280 nm to 400 nm, showing maximum emission peak at 360 nm when excited at 300 nm. The chemical composition and morphological structure of as-synthesized OH-BNNSs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectrons spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and high-resolution transmittance electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The fluorescence of OH-BNNSs is quenched by UA via inner filer effect mechanism. The developed sensor exhibited a good linearity between the fluorescence quenching of OH-BNNSs and UA concentration (0.8–500 μM), with the limit of detection of 16 nM. Importantly, the OH-BNNSs sensor was further utilized to detect UA in urine and serum samples with satisfactory recoveries in the range of 98.19–99.61 %, indicating OH-BNNSs could be used as a potential nanosensor to assay UA in biofluids.