Highly sensitive sensing of hydroquinone and catechol based on β-cyclodextrin-modified carbon dots

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Nanotechnology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Phenolic compounds like catechol (CC) and hydroquinone (HQ) are common environmental pollutants.
• Accurate detection of CC and HQ is crucial for water quality assessment.
• Existing detection methods may lack sensitivity or selectivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient fluorescent probe for trace analysis of CC and HQ.
• To utilize carbon dot@β-cyclodextrin (C-dot@β-CD) nanocomposites for sensing applications.
• To establish a sensitive and selective detection method for CC and HQ in water samples.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of C-dot@β-CD nanocomposites using FTIR, TEM, and XPS.
• Investigation of sensing behavior via fluorescence spectroscopy.
• Evaluation of detection limits and linear range for CC and HQ.

Main Results:

• C-dot@β-CD nanocomposites demonstrated strong fluorescence and good water solubility.
• The probe exhibited sensitive and selective detection of CC and HQ.
• Detection limits were as low as 47.9 nM for CC and 20.2 nM for HQ.
• A wide linear detection range of 0.1 to 10 μM was achieved.

Conclusions:

• The developed C-dot@β-CD fluorescent probe is effective for trace CC and HQ detection.
• The nanoprobe shows high sensitivity, selectivity, and suitability for real water sample analysis.
• This method provides a valuable tool for environmental monitoring of phenolic pollutants.