Quantum dot assisted precise and sensitive fluorescence-based formaldehyde detection in food samples.

Formaldehyde has an extremely reactive carbonyl group, commonly used as an antibacterial agent to sterilize and prevent food to spoil. This article describes an efficient and rapid detection method of formaldehyde from an aqueous solution by synthesizing 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) quantum dots (Nano A) which react with formaldehyde to generate a Schiff base reaction. The photoinduced electron transfer produced by the quantum dots themselves results in fluorescence quenching to detect formaldehyde. The detection limit can reach 10 M, and it can further be used to detect formaldehyde content in foods, such as baby vegetables, mushrooms, and vermicelli among other daily foods.