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Updated: Feb 17, 2026
Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging
Published on: October 9, 2012
A highly selective fluorescence sensing platform for nanomolar Hg(II) detection based on cytosine derived quantum dot
Liang Luo1, Ting Song1, Haoqiang Wang2
1Laboratory of Environmental Science and Technology, The Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Functional Materials and Devices for Special Environments, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Abstract:
Inspired by low toxicity and good biocompatibility of biomass derived quantum dot (QD), we herein developed a cytosine derived quantum dot, namely cyt-dot, via a one-step hydrothermal synthesis. The as-prepared cyt-dot emits blue fluorescence (FL) containing abundant oxygen (20.6at.%) and nitrogen (24.1at.%) contents. The cyt-dot based sensing platform shows exclusive selectivity for Hg(II) while being insensitive towards Fe(III) and Ag(I), which are important interference that usually cannot be ruled out. The detection limit for Hg(II) is of 11nM, which is very close to the guideline value of 10nM allowed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in drinking water. In real water sample analyses, the present sensing platform can fulfil satisfied recoveries ranging from 100% to 108%. Besides, the acidity of solution has almost no effect on the sensing performance of the cyt-dot in a pH range of 5-8, suggesting its potential applications in sensing and bio-imaging.
