Enhanced fluorescence quenching of hemin detected by a novel polymer of curcumin

In this study, a novel polymer of curcumin is synthesized by sulfonation and the incorporation of aliphatic groups to the polymeric structure. It undergoes efficient fluorescence quenching in the presence of hemin and acts as a selective biosensor for the latter. The quenching efficiency increases significantly, up to 90.82% at a maximum of 100 mu M concentration of hemin and at lambda(ex) of 410 nm. The high zeta potential of the polymer (-98 mV) decreases to -38 mV at 100 mu M concentration of hemin, which confirms the transfer of electron density from the polymer to the quencher during fluorescence quenching.