N-doped carbon dots synthesized by rapid microwave irradiation as highly fluorescent probes for Pb2+ detection

Abstract

In this study, N-doped carbon dots (NCDs) could be prepared by using glycerol as the carbon source and ethylenediamine as a nitrogen doped molecule through a one-step microwave irradiation method. The resulting NCD probes could exhibit linear fluorescence response to Pb²⁺ at a detection limit as low as 15.0 nM, which could be applied for trace levels of direct pb²⁺ recognition.