Gold nanocluster-based fluorescence turn-off probe for sensing of doxorubicin by photoinduced electron transfer

•CC/DTT-AuNCs are used as fluorescent probes for the detection of DOX.•PET is identified to play a dominant role for the PL quenching mechanism.•Other anthraquinone structures devoid of –NH2 groups exhibit no quenching effect.•This method is used to successfully measure DOX in human serum samples.