Carbon Quantum Dots Based Chemosensor Array for Monitoring Multiple Metal Ions

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Simultaneous detection of multiple metal ions in water is a significant challenge.
• Existing methods often lack the specificity and throughput required for complex environmental samples.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel chemosensor array for the simultaneous identification and quantification of multiple metal ions in water.
• To demonstrate the utility of functionalized carbon quantum dots (CQDs) as sensing elements in a high-throughput array.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a CQDs-based chemosensor array functionalized with various amino acids (glutamine, histidine, arginine, lysine, proline).
• Utilizing the array for the simultaneous detection of eleven different metal ions.
• Employing a support vector machine (SVM) for quantitative analysis and classification.

Main Results:

• Achieved 100% classification accuracy for identifying eleven metal ions.
• Successfully performed quantitative prediction of individual metal ion concentrations in mixtures.
• Demonstrated reliable qualitative detection of unknown metal ions in the presence of tap and river water interferences.

Conclusions:

• The developed CQDs-based sensor array offers a novel, high-throughput approach for multi-analyte detection in complex systems.
• This strategy provides a robust platform for environmental monitoring and water quality assessment.
• The use of amino acid-functionalized CQDs enhances sensing capabilities for metal ions.