Composition and process for the stabilization of fluorescent particles

A composition for stabilizing a quantum dot or quantum dot conjugate, comprising: (a) a substituted amine other than an amino acid or an alkyl-substituted alkylamine; or (b) an amine and a protein and / or protein hydrolyzate; the composition further comprises: (c) a borate buffer; (D) a preservative; and (e) a surfactant; wherein the composition has greater than or equal to 7 pH, and wherein at least one of the amine or protein and / or protein hydrolyzate it is present in a concentration effective to stabilize and / or increase the intensity of fluorescence quantum dot, or a conjugate quantum dot stored in the composition relative to the fluorescence intensity of the quantum dot or conjugate quantum dot stored in a composition devoid of (a) a substituted amine other than an amino acid or alkyl substituted alkylamine or (b) an amine and a protein and / or a protein hydrolyzate.