Graphene quantum dots as eco-friendly fluorescent probes for sensitive and selective determination of lumateperone in pharmaceutical preparation: Greenness and blueness assessment

Abstract

This study investigates the potential of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as fluorescent probes for the determination of the antipsychotic drug lumateperone. The spectral characteristics and sensing mechanism of the fluorescent probes were examined, revealing a static quenching mechanism as indicated by the Stern-Volmer analysis. Different factors affecting the quenching process, such as pH, concentration of QDs, and incubation time, were carefully tuned. The developed method was validated according to ICH guidelines, demonstrating excellent linearity in the range of 0.5–2.5 μg/mL, limits of detection and quantification of 0.1226 μg/mL and 0.3714 μg/mL, respectively, and high accuracy, precision, robustness and selectivity. Furthermore, the greenness and blueness of the proposed method were assessed using GAPI, AGREE, and BAGI tools, yielding an AGREE score of 0.78 and a BAGI score of 75 confirming its environmentally benign nature as well as analytical practicality. The method was successfully applied to determine lumateperone in a pharmaceutical formulation, highlighting its potential for routine quality control analysis. This study demonstrates the promising analytical capabilities of GQDs for the sensitive and selective detection of antipsychotic drug lumateperone, offering a simple, rapid, and green alternative to existing analytical techniques.