Amplified Detection of Iron Ion Based on Plasmon Enhanced Fluorescence and Subsequently Fluorescence Quenching

A facile and rapid approach for detecting low concentration of iron ion(Fe3+) with improved sensitivity was developed on the basis of plasmon enhanced fluorescence and subsequently amplified fluorescence quenching.Au1Ag4@Si O2 nanoparticles were synthesized and dispersed into fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC) solution. The fluorescence of the FITC solution was improved due to plasmon enhanced fluorescence. However, efficient fluorescence quenching of the FITC/Au1Ag4@Si O2 solution was subsequently achieved when Fe3+, with a concentration ranging from17 n M to 3.4 l M, was added into the FITC/Au1Ag4@Si O2 solution, whereas almost no fluorescence quenching was observed for pure FITC solution under the same condition. FITC/Au1Ag4@Si O2 solution shows a better sensitivity for detecting low concentration of Fe3+compared to pure FITC solution. The quantized limit of detection toward Fe3+was improved from 4.6 l M for pure FITC solution to 20 n M for FITC/Au1Ag4@Si O2 solution.