Chemiluminescence of carbon dots induced by diperiodato-nicklate (IV) in alkaline solution and its application to a quenchometric flow-injection assays of paracetamol, L-cysteine and glutathione

Aqueous solutions of carbon dots (C-dots) were prepared by microwave-assisted thermal carbonization of poly(ethylene glycol). They were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, absorption and fluorescence spectra. It is shown that diperiodato-nicklate(IV), a strong oxidant, induces the chemiluminescence (CL) of C-dots in strongly alkaline solution without use of an additional reagent. A mechanism for this reaction is suggested. It is also found that the CL of the system is quenched by paracetamol, L-cysteine and glutathione. Under the optimized conditions, the calibration plot is linear with a correlation coefficient (r) of >0.995. The limits of detection are 90, 8, and 60 µg L- 1 for paracetamol, L-cysteine, and glutathione, respectively. Spiked urine and serum samples were analyzed and gave recoveries in the range from 84.38 to 116.0 %, with an RSD of 1.2–2.7 %. Use of diperiodato-nickelate(IV) induces the chemiluminescence of carbon dots in alkaline solution without use of an additional reagent. And using inhibitory effect of the target analyte on the CL achieved the determination of paracetamol, L-cysteine and glutathione.