Fluorescent Properties of Daehwangjam, Golden Silk, and Juhwangjam and Their Diminishing upon HCl Vapor Exposure

Abstract

For over five millennia, humans have benefited from the valuable byproducts of Bombyx mori silkworms nourished on mulberry leaves and a multitude of potential applications remains available due to the diverse array of silkworm varieties. In this work, we discuss the utilization of Daehwangjam (DHJ), golden silk (GS), and Juhwangjam (JHJ), distinctive colored silks found in Korea, as chemosensors. These novel silks emit fluorescence under external stimuli and show a diminishing fluorescence intensity when exposed to HCl vapor. The considerable surface-to-volume ratio of these cocoons allows for the identification of 5 ppm, 300 ppm, and 3000 ppm HCl vapors through decreased fluorescence intensity. The results show the suitability of natural DHJ, GS, and JHJ for applications in biosensing applications.