Interaction of ZnS nanoparticles with flavins and glucose oxidase: A fluorimetric investigation

Interactions of luminescence, water soluble ZnS nanoparticles (NPs) with flavins and glucose oxidase have been thoroughly investigated through optical spectroscopy. The photoluminescence of ZnS nanoparticles was quenched severely (∼60%) by riboflavin while other flavins such as flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) show quenching to different extents under analogous conditions. However, interestingly no effect in luminescence intensity of ZnS NPs was observed with protein bound flavins such as in glucose oxidase. Fluorescence lifetime measurement confirmed the quenching to be static in nature. Scavenging of photo-generated electron of ZnS nanoparticles by the flavin molecules may be attributed to the decrease in luminescence intensity. Quenching of ZnS nanoparticles with flavins follows the linear Stern–Volmer plot. The Stern–Volmer constants decreased in the following order: KS−V (Riboflavin)> KS−V (FAD)> KS−V (FMN). This interaction study could generate useful protocol for the fluorimetric determination of riboflavin (vitamin B2) content and also riboflavin status in biological systems.