Effective Determination of Zn2+, Mn2+, and Cu2+ Simultaneously By Using Dual-Emissive Carbon Dots as Colorimetric Fluorescent Probe

Graphical We have synthesized a dual-emissive colorimetric fluorescent glutathione carbon dot (GSH-CDs) probe that can be used to detect Zn 2+ , Mn 2+ , and Cu 2+ separately or simultaneously by observing the change in fluorescence color and referring to the truth table. Because the probe has low cytotoxicity, it can be used in cell imaging. Dual-emissive fluorescent glutathione carbon dots (GSH-CDs) have been synthesized by a green hydrothermal method and used as a colorimetric fluorescent probe for the multi-detection of Zn 2+ , Mn 2+ , and Cu 2+ individually or simultaneously. The GSH-CDs exhibit dual fluorescence emission at 460 and 683 nm, which results in cyan fluorescence emission under UV light. The dual-emissive GSH-CDs can be used as a multifunctional colorimetric fluorescent nanoprobe for precise and quantitative detection of Zn 2+ , Mn 2+ , and Cu 2+ through a change in the color of the fluorescence. Upon interaction with Zn 2+ , the fluorescent color of the GSH-CDs was transformed from cyan to pink. When exposed to Mn 2+ or Cu 2+ , the fluorescence color was transformed from cyan to blue. When the three ions were present simultaneously, the cyan fluorescence emission changed to a nattier blue. The minimum limits of detection (LODs) for Zn 2+ , Mn 2+ , and Cu 2+ were calculated to be 9.64, 3.24, and 1.7 n m , respectively. As far as we know, this is the first report of the use of dual-emissive carbon dots for the multi-detection of heavy-metal ions. Moreover, the multi-detection of Zn 2+ , Mn 2+ , and Cu 2+ in real environmental water by GSH-CDs was also investigated. In addition the GSH-CDs can be applied in cell imaging.