We have developed an analytical method to detect adenosine-50-triphosphate (ATP) and alkaline
phosphatase (ALP) based on the generation of CdS quantum dots (QDs). We demonstrated that Cd2+
cation reacts with S2 anion to generate
fluorescent CdS QDs in the presence of some certain amount of
ATP. With increase in the ATP concentration, the
fluorescence intensity of CdS QDs was also enhanced.
ATP can be converted into adenosine by the dephosphorylation of ALP, so that the generation of CdS QDs
would be inhibited in the presence of ALP. Therefore, this novel analysis system could be applied to assay
ATP and ALP based on the growth of
fluorescent CdS QDs