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A fluorometric paper test for chromium(VI) based on the use of N-doped carbon dots

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Abstract

Water-soluble nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (C-dots) were fabricated by microwave-induced decomposition of the precursor materials citric acid and N,N′-bis(2-aminoethyl)-1,2-ethanediamine. The C-dots were placed on portable paper strips with novel origami designs to simplified user operations. The intensity of the blue fluorescence, best measured at excitation/emission wavelengths of 330/420 nm, depends on the pH value in the range from pH 2 to 12. The C-dots on the paper stripe are shown to be a sensitive fluorescent probe for chromium(VI) via an inner filter effect. Response is linear in the 0.08 to 1 mM concentration range, and the detection limit (at S/N = 3) is 0.14 mM. The test was applied to the determination of chromium(VI) in (spiked) environmental water samples.

Schematic presentation of the water-soluble nitrogen-doped carbon dots (C-dots) as a fluorescent probe for Cr6+ based on an inner filter effect. The three-dimensional paper analytical device integrating C-dots was applied to the determination of Cr6+ in (spiked) environmental water samples.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan under the project number 107-2113-M-003-013-MY3. We thank Yi-Ju Chou for helpful discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, 11677, Taiwan

    Kun-Hua Lu, Cheng-Yu Lin & Yi-Chun Yeh

  2. Institute of Applied Mechanics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan

    Jia-Hui Lin & Chien-Fu Chen

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  1. Kun-Hua Lu
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  2. Jia-Hui Lin
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  4. Chien-Fu Chen
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Correspondence to Chien-Fu Chen or Yi-Chun Yeh.

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Lu, KH., Lin, JH., Lin, CY. et al. A fluorometric paper test for chromium(VI) based on the use of N-doped carbon dots. Microchim Acta 186, 227 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-019-3337-5

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