Analytical Sciences

Supramolecular Assembly of Acriflavine on Graphene Oxide for the Sensing of Adenosine Phosphates

Govindaraj USHA,* Ramesh PRAKASH,* Karuppasamy KARPAGALAKSHMI,* Sundaram RAMALAKSHMI,* Lakshminarayanan PIRAMUTHU,* Cheng YANG,** and Narayanan SELVAPALAM*

*Center for Supramolecular Chemistry and Department of Chemistry, International Research Center, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education (Kalasalingam University), Krishnankoil, 626126, Tamil Nadu State, India
**Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, and Healthy Food Evaluation Research Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610-064, China

An acriflavine-graphene oxide (GAF) supramolecular assembly has been prepared from water-soluble graphene oxide (GO) and a fluorescent dye, acriflavine (AF). Upon binding this non-covalently to the GO, the fluorescence of acriflavine has been “turned off” effectively, competitive binding potential of the sensor substrates such as ATP, ADP, AMP and the pyrophosphate weakens the supramolecular assembly of GAF, which allows the release of acriflavine quantitatively, which also “turns-on” the fluorescence of the dye under UV irradiation. Interestingly, GAF displayed the highest sensitivity towards ATP within the family of adenosine phosphates. We have developed a naked eye detection method for the adenosine phosphates biomolecules. For the first time, acriflavine has been utilized for the sensing of adenosine phosphates in combination with GO, which can be useful for the detection of other biomolecules.

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