Ratiometric assay of mercury ion based on nitrogen-doped carbon dots with two different optical signals: second-order scattering and fluorescence

Ratiometric assays, which can effectively surmount external interference, have attracted extensive research interests. Herein, a novel ratiometric sensing platform for Hg 2+ is designed based on nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) with two different optical signals. Under a single excitation, N-CDs have two emission peaks around 668 nm and 412 nm, which are second-order scattering and fluorescence, respectively. Upon the addition of Hg 2+ , the weak scattering emission at 668 nm can be increased apparently, while the strong fluorescence intensity at 412 nm is weakened. Moreover, the ratio of scattering intensity to fluorescence intensity is linearly dependent on Hg 2+ concentration (0.1–10 μM and 10–30 μM, respectively), and the detection limit is 66 nM. In addition, the ratiometric sensing mechanism is investigated in detail, which is due to the combined effect of aggregation-induced fluorescence quenching and scattering enhancement. Furthermore, the developed sensing approach holds a promising application for Hg 2+ detection in actual samples. Graphical abstract