The rapid synthesis of intrinsic green-fluorescent poly(pyrogallol)-derived carbon dots for amoxicillin drug sensing in clinical samples

Abstract

Currently, the uncontrolled intake and slow metabolic rate of nearly all antibiotics have led to serious health problems and environmental threats. Among the frequently used β-lactam antibiotics, amoxicillin (AMX) is still the highest in terms of consumption rate. Even a trace amount of AMX can have serious harmful effects on human health and aquatic life. In this work, we wish to report a facile synthesis of poly(pyrogallol)-based highly green-emissive carbon dots via a reflux method and their application in the fluorescent detection of AMX. The pyrogallol-derived carbon dots (PC dots) exhibit high water solubility and stability. They exhibit an emission band at 420 nm upon excitation at 310 nm. Under the optimum sensing conditions, the emission intensity decreases on adding the AMX drug. Based on the change in the emission intensity, the concentration of AMX was calculated. Good linearity was obtained from 2.49 to 45.5 μM AMX, and the detection limit (LOD) was found to be 9.2 nM (LOD = 3 S m⁻¹). Finally, the sensor system was applied for the detection of AMX in clinical samples.