Fluorescent yttrium oxide nanoparticles for sensitive detection of vitamin B12: Synthesis, characterization, and sensor development

A fluorescent yttrium oxide nanoparticle was successfully synthesized and employed as a fluorometric probe for the detection of vitamin B₁₂. The sensing mechanism is based on the interaction between vitamin B₁₂ and the nanoparticles, enabling sensitive fluorescence measurements. The material was thoroughly characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, photoluminescence, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV-Visible spectroscopy. The strongest fluorescence response was obtained at an excitation wavelength of 230 nm and an emission wavelength of 285 nm. Key parameters, including pH, incubation time, and NaCl concentration, were systematically optimized. The probe demonstrated a linear response in the vitamin B₁₂ concentration range of 10–100 μM, with a limit of quantification of 55.66 μM and a detection limit of 18.37 μM. Additionally, an red, green, blue color based sensor was developed using the same nanoparticles, which successfully detected vitamin B₁₂ with high accuracy in human urine samples and acceptable recovery, highlighting its potential for real-world biomedical applications.