Quantum Dots to Detect Drug Levels

A research team from Kolkata has designed quantum dots (QDs) using an amino acid-capped cadmium sulphide (CdS) semiconducting crystals to detect levels of mannitol, an important diuretic. The researchers observed luminescence enhancement of QDs on interaction with mannitol.

They also observed that possible interfering agents, such as, urea, uric acid, creatinine, some metal ions, glucose, sorbitol or sucrose had no significant effect on luminescence of CdS QDs. The proposed strategy can be a very fast, simple and potential tool for the monitoring of diuretics and assaying intestinal permeability, the researchers say in the 21st July 2010 issue of Analytica Chimica Acta.