A fluorometric aptasensor for methamphetamine based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer using cobalt oxyhydroxide nanosheets and carbon dots

Cobalt oxyhydroxide (CoOOH) nanosheets are efficient fluorescence quenchers due to their specific optical properties and high surface area. The combination of CoOOH nanosheets and carbon dots (CDs) has not been used in any aptasensor based on fluorescence quenching so far. An aptamer based fluorometric assay is introduced that is making use of fluorescent CDs conjugated to the aptamer against methamphetamine (MTA), and of CoOOH nanosheets which reduce the fluorescence of the CDs as a quencher. The results revealed that the conjugated CDs with aptamers were able to enclose the CoOOH nanosheets. Consequently, fluorescence is quenched. If the aptamer on the CD binds MTA, the CDs are detached from CoOOH nanosheets. As a result, fluorescence is restored proportionally to zhe MTA concentration. The fluorometric limit of detection is 1 nM with a dynamic range from 5 to 156 nM. The method was validated by comparing the results obtained by the new method to those obtained by ion mobility spectroscopy. Theoretical studies showed that the distance between CoOOH nanosheet and C-Ds is approximately 7.6 Å which can illustrate the possibility of FRET phenomenon. The interactions of MTA and the aptamer were investigated using molecular dynamic simulation (MDS). Graphical abstract Carbon dots (C-Ds) were prepared from grape leaves, conjugated to aptamer, and adsorbed on CoOOH nanosheets. So, the fluorescence of C-Ds is quenched. On addition of MTA, fluorescence is restored.