Researchers have developed a novel spectrofluorimetric method to determine two glucocorticoids, via a nanoparticle-based fluorescence sensor. In their study, synthesised silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) exhibited good stability without the use of a non-sustainable organic stabilising agent, the findings showed.
The silver nanoparticles were synthesised via the chemical reduction of silver nitrate using sodium borohydride in distilled water without using stabilisers, the authors explained.
Their study is the “first successful application of chemically produced, highly stable silver nanoparticles as fluorescence sensing probes for detecting corticosteroids (prednisolone sodium phosphate (PDN) and dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DXZ)) in pure form and pharmaceutical formulations”, they noted.
Benefits of the innovative spectrofluorimetric method
[The study is the] first successful application of chemically produced, highly stable silver nanoparticles as fluorescence sensing probes for detecting corticosteroids… in pure form and pharmaceutical formulations”The method is highly sensitive, environmentally friendly and applicable for drug testing in pharmaceutical products and quality control laboratories, the paper stated.
This proposed technique has several advantages when compared to reported spectrofluorimetric techniques, according to the researchers. Other key benefits include its simple approach, cost-effectiveness, high accuracy and precision.
Synthesising silver nanoparticles without organic stabilisers
Main findings from the research included that a “reduction in fluorescence intensity of [silver nanoparticles] observed at 484nm following excitation at 242nm exhibited quantitative quenching upon the incremental addition of the investigated drugs, with limits of detection of 0.178 µg/mL and 0.145 µg/mL for PDN and DXZ, respectively”.
The authors explained this reduction resulted from a combination of static quenching and inner filter effect (IFE).
Future applications
Elawadi et al. concluded that their technique can be applied to both bulk powder and pharmaceutical preparations.
Looking ahead, the study opens future opportunity into the “possible fluorescence properties of a wide range of metal nanoparticles for innovative analytical applications methodologies aimed at ensuring sustainable utilisation of nanomaterials with minimal environmental impact and analysis of non-chromophore pharmacological compounds”, the authors added.
The paper was published in BMC Chemistry.
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