In this paper, a novel chemiluminescence (CL) system was introduced based on the use of CdTe quantum dots (QDs) with the mixture solutions of fluorescein and potassium periodate (KIO ) in alkaline medium. The CL signal of an ultra-weak system was strongly enhanced in the presence of QDs. The application of CdTe QDs-fluorescein-KIO system is reported for the first time. It was found that catechol had a diminishing effect on the CL reaction. Under optimal experimental conditions, CL intensity decreased linearly in a 1 to 100 μM catechol concentration range, with a 0.18 μM detection limit. A possible reaction mechanism was proposed according to the results of kinetic analyses, CL spectra, ultraviolet-visible and fluorescence spectra. The results pointed to an efficient energy transfer between the CL energy donor CdTe QDs and acceptor fluorescein. Finally, the CL method was successfully applied to the determination of catechol in environmental water samples.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.