A sensitive and rapid UV–vis spectrophotometry for organophosphorus pesticides detection based on Ytterbium (Yb3+) functionalized gold nanoparticle

Abstract A kind of sensitive, rapid, and simple spectrophotometry based on a Ytterbium (Yb 3+ ) functionalized gold nanoparticle (Au NPs-Yb) was developed for detection of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs). Prepared AuNPs possess oxygen-containing functional groups and strong complexation reaction with Yb 3+ . While oxygen-containing thiophosphate in the OPs molecule can combine with Yb 3+ as a cross-linking molecule to produce insoluble yetterbium phosphate, resulting in the aggregation of AuNPs and great decrease in ultraviolet absorbance strength at 520 nm by ultraviolet visible (UV–vis) spectrophotometer. Under the optimized conditions, a linear relationship between the absorbance of AuNPs and OPs concentration ranged from 0.05 μg/L to 6.0 μg/L with limit of detection for 0.03 μg/L (S/N = 3), which is far lower than the maximum residue limit (0.01 ppm) in the European Union pesticides database. Therefore, this assay has potential application in the determination of OPs in the field of environmental and food monitoring.