Carbon dots codoped with nitrogen and sulfur are viable fluorescent probes for chromium(VI)

• Published in: Mikrochimica acta (1966) Vol. 184; no. 5; pp. 1547 - 1553
• Main Authors: Zhang, Hanqiang, Huang, Yihong, Hu, Zhibiao, Tong, Changqing, Zhang, Zhusen, Hu, Shirong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vienna Springer Vienna 01.05.2017; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Carbon dots; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemical composition; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chromium; Composition; Diffraction; Electron microscopy; Emission spectroscopy; Excitation; Fluorescence; Fluorescent indicators; Fourier transforms; Functional groups; Infrared spectroscopy; Investigations; Microengineering; Nanochemistry; Nanotechnology; Nitrogen; Original Paper; Photoelectron spectroscopy; Photoelectrons; Quenching; Signal to noise ratio; Sulfur; Sulfur compounds; Transmission electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction; X-ray spectroscopy; X-rays; Water analysis; Nanodots; Excitation dependent emission; FT-IR; Stern-Volmer plot; Selectivity; Inner filter effect; XPS; XRD; Quenching
• ISSN: 0026-3672; 1436-5073
• DOI: 10.1007/s00604-017-2132-4

Carbon dots codoped with nitrogen and sulfur (N,S-CDs) were synthesized by a single-step hydrothermal method. The N, S-CDs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, FTIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in terms of surface morphology, functional groups and surface composition and elemental composition. The CDs possess intense fluorescence and excitation wavelength dependent emission wavelengths. Fluorescence is strongest at an excitation wavelength of 360 nm and typically peaks at 440 nm. The fluorescence of the N,S-CDs is quenched by Cr(VI) ion. Under the 360 nm excitation wavelength condition, fluorescence intensity decreases linearly on increasing the Cr(VI) concentration from 1 μM to 10 μM, and the LOD at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 was about 0.2 μM. The method was applied to the quantitation of Cr(VI) in spiked real samples and gave satisfactory results. Graphical abstract Carbon dots codoped with nitrogen and sulfur (N,S-CDs) were synthesized. These possess intense fluorescence that is quenched by Cr(VI) ion. The this probe can be used for quantitative detection of Cr(VI) ion.