Rapid response of dopamine towards insitu synthesised copper nanocluster in presence of H2O2

Rapid and real-time monitoring of catecholamine neurotransmitter dopamine receives immense importance since it plays a crucial role as a local chemical messenger for interneuronal communications in mammalian central and peripheral nervous systems. In the present study, blue emitting copper nanocluster was synthesized in presence (BSA CuNC1) and absence (BSA CuNC2) of hydrogen peroxide and fluorescence response of the two systems towards dopamine was analysed. At an excitation of 355 nm, fast response towards dopamine detection was obtained for BSA CuNC1 system having limit of detection 0.1637 pM. The fast interaction of dopamine with BSA CuNC1 can be attributed to the intrinsic peroxidase like activity of CuNC in presence of H2O2. On the other hand, the response of dopamine towards BSA CuNC2 was very slow with a limit of detection 0.024 nM. Encouraged by the fast response and low limit of detection, the BSA CuNC1 system was effectively applied for dopamine detection in real sample matrices. The recovery percentage for serum sample obtained was in the range 90-98.33% and for urine sample was in the range 89-96.66%. In addition to that, a paper test strips using BSA CuNC1 was developed which exhibited colour change as well as fluorescence quenching, creates a low cost approach for the fast monitoring of dopamine.