Nanometer-sized fluorescent particles were successfully synthesized. The nanoparticles have a narrow, tunable, symmetric emission spectrum and a broad, continuous excitation spectrum. They are also photochemically stable. A synchronous fluorescence method was developed for the rapid determination of DNA with functionalized CdS as a fluorescence probe, based on the synchronous fluorescence quenching of functionalized CdS in the presence of DNA. Maximum fluorescence is produced at pH 7.0, with maximum excitation and emission wavelengths of 360 and 620 nm, respectively. The maximum emission wavelength of synchronous fluorescence is 354 nm when delta lambda = 260 nm. Under optimum conditions, the calibration graphs are linear over the range 0-3.5 microg mL(-1) for calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) and 0.2-3.0 microg mL(-1) for fish sperm DNA. The corresponding detection limit is 0.01 microg mL(-1) for CT-DNA and 0.02 microg mL(-1) for fish sperm DNA. The relative standard deviation of seven replicate measurements is 2.2% for 1 microg mL(-1) calf thymus DNA and 2.4% for 1 microg mL(-1) fish sperm DNA. The method is simple, rapid and sensitive. The recovery and relative standard deviation are very satisfactory.