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Excitation-independent dual emissions of carbon dots synthesized by plasma irradiation of ionic liquids: Ratiometric fluorometric determination of norfloxacin and mercury(II)

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Abstract

The capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) discharge of an ionic liquid solution of citric acid produces carbon dots (CDs) with excitation-independent fluorescent dual-emissions peaking at 410 nm and 480 nm. The intensity of the purple photoluminescence at 410 nm increases with (a) the flow rate of O2 plasma gas supply from 2.0 to 30 standard cubic centimeters per minute (sccm), (b) the 2-h exposure of the CDs to 254 nm light, and (c) the 8-h immersion of the CDs in a solution of NaBH4. The UV exposure and the hydride immersion reduce the fluorescence intensity peaking at 480 nm, which is highest at 5.0 and 10 sccm. The two emissive states were revealed by UV–vis absorption, XPS spectra, and time-resolved fluorescence. Control of the O2 flow rate can simply tune the ratiometric fluorescence of the CCP-CDs. The CDs obtained from 5 and 30 sccm O2 supplies present a high-intensity ratio (I480 nm/I410 nm ≈ 3.35) and a low one (≈ 0.48), respectively. The 480 nm fluorescence of the former CDs is quenched by mercury(II) ions in the 0.2 to 50 μM concentration range. The 410 nm fluorescence of the latter CDs is enhanced by norfloxacin in the 25 nM to 1.0 μM concentration range. The detection limits are 75 nM for Hg(II) and 7.3 nM for norfloxacin.

Schematic presentation of the effect of the oxygen flow rate in capacitively coupled radio frequency (RF) plasma on the formed CDs. The emission can be quenched by Hg2+ or enhanced by norfloxacin.

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Acknowledgments

Support for this work by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan under Grant No. MOST–106–2113–M–039–006 and the China Medical University under Grant No. CMU106–S–17 is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Beauty and Health Care, Min-Hwei Junior College of Health Care Management, No.1116, Sec 2, Zhongshan E. Rd, Tainan, 73658, Taiwan

    Ching-Bin Ke

  2. School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, No. 91 Hsueh-Shih Road, Taichung, 40402, Taiwan

    Te-Ling Lu & Jian-Lian Chen

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  1. Ching-Bin Ke
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Correspondence to Jian-Lian Chen.

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Ke, CB., Lu, TL. & Chen, JL. Excitation-independent dual emissions of carbon dots synthesized by plasma irradiation of ionic liquids: Ratiometric fluorometric determination of norfloxacin and mercury(II). Microchim Acta 186, 376 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-019-3505-7

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