Analysis of Penicillamine Using Cu-Modified Graphene Quantum Dots Synthesized from Uric Acid as Single Precursor

CONTENTO, ANA M.; BENAVIDEZ, TOMÁS E.; GARCÍA, CARLOS D.; DURÁN, GEMA M.; RÍOS, ANGEL

Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Año: 2017 p. 324 - 331

2095-1779

This article describes a simple methodology to quantify penicillamine (PA) in pharmaceutical samples, using the selective interaction of the drug with Cu-modified graphene quantum dots (Cu-GQDs). The proposed strategy combines the advantages of carbon dots (over other nanoparticles) with the high affinity of PA for the proposed Cu-GQDs, resulting in a significant and selective quenching effect. Under the optimum conditions for the interaction, a linear response (in the 0.10 - 7.50 µmol/L PA concentration range) was observed. The highly fluorescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs) used in this project were synthesized using uric acid as single precursor and then characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, fluorescence, and absorption spectroscopy. The proposed methodology could be also extended to other compounds, further expanding the applicability of GQDs.