Green Synthesis of Carbon Quantum Dots from Broccoli Pedicels and Their Application for Fluorescence Determination of Sunset Yellow

We developed a green one-step method using broccoli pedicels to synthesize carbon quantum dots (CQDs) for selective sensing of Sunset Yellow. The analyte quenched the fluorescence of CQDs through its inner filter effect. A straightforward and reliable fluorescence quenching method using CQDs as probes in monitoring Sunset Yellow was established. The approach showed linearity from 0.1 to 50 µM with a 0.08 µM detection limit and performed well in real samples. This fluorescence-based method holds potential for further investigation and widespread adoption in the food industry.