A fluorescence and localized surface plasmon resonance dual-readout sensing strategy for detection of acetamiprid and organophosphorus pesticides

In this work, a fluorescence/localized surface plasmon resonance (Fluorescence/LSPR) dual-readout sensing system that using DNA functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as nanoprobe was designed for acetamiprid (ACE) and organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) detection. The ACE detection was based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between fluorochrome Cy3-labeled aptamer and AuNPs of nanoprobe. The high specificity of ACE allowed Cy3-labeled aptamer to release from nanoprobe, resulting in a significantly fluorescence recovery related to the concentration of ACE. On the other hand, the strategy for OPs detection relied on the acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-mediated oxidative polymerization blocking of dopamine on AuNPs surface and the inhibition of OPs toward AChE. The degree of polymerization of dopamine depended on the concentration of OPs, which led to a tremendous LSPR spectral shift and scattering color change of nanoprobe. The dual-readout sensing system showed great sensitivity and selectivity for ACE and OPs (used chlorpyrifos as model) with a detection limit of 166.7 pg mL−1 and 0.17 fg mL−1, respectively. Moreover, two distinct color changes could be visual recognized to indicate the content of ACE and OPs, which was considered to be a conceivable way for pesticides residues assay. Therefore, this work paved a new avenue for rapid detection of multi-pesticides via a Fluorescence/LSPR dual signal response and visual screening, and hold great potential for noxious substance monitoring.