Facile Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Functionalized Carbon Nitride Quantum Dots as Fluorescence Probe for Fast and Highly Selective Detection of 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol

Functionalized carbon nitride quantum dots (CNQDs) are fabricated by moderate carbonization ofL-tartaric acid and urea in oil acid media by a facile microwave-assisted solvothermal method. The obtained CNQDs are monodispersed with a narrow size distribution (average size of 3.5 nm), and exhibit excellent selectivity and sensitivity of fluorescence quenching for 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP) with a quenching efficiency coefficient K-sv of 4.75 x 10(4) M-1. This sensing system exhibits a fast response time within 1 min and a wide linear response range from 0.1 to 15 mu M. The limit of detection is as low as 87 nM, which is comparable or lower than the other probes. The application of the developed probe to the detection of TNP in spiked water samples yields satisfactory results. The mechanism of fluorescence quenching is also discussed.

Automated summary

Functionalized carbon nitride quantum dots with excellent fluorescence quenching selectivity and sensitivity for TNP were synthesized through a facile microwave-assisted solvothermal method. The sensing system showed fast response, wide linear response range, and low detection limit for TNP detection.