A Supramolecular–Quantum Dot System for Broad-Spectrum Detection of Fentanyl Analogues

Synthetic opioids, especially fentanyl and its analogues, have led to an epidemic of abuse and a significant increase in overdose deaths in the United States. Current detection methods have significant drawbacks in their sensitivity, scalability, and portability that limit use in field- based applications to promote public health and safety. The need to detect trace amounts of fentanyl in complex mixtures with other drugs or interferents, and the continued emergence of new fentanyl analogues, further complicates detection efforts. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to develop convenient, rapid, and reliable sensors for fentanyl detection. In this study, a sensor is prepared based on competitive displacement of a fluorescent dye from the cavity of a supramolecular macrocycle, with subsequent fluorescence quenching from graphene quantum dots. This approach can detect and quantify small quantities of fentanyl along with 58 fentanyl analogues, including highly potent variants like carfentanil that are of increasing concern. Furthermore, selective detection of these agents is possible even when at 0.01 mol% in the presence of common interferents. Results are provided within seconds, with stable performance over time. This simple, rapid, reliable, sensitive, and cost-effective approach couples supramolecular capture with graphene quantum dot nanomaterial quenchers to create a tool with the potential to advance public health and safety in the context of field based detection of drugs in the fentanyl class.