The progress of carbon dots in emerging contaminants control: Synthesis, modifications, and environmental...

Emerging contaminants existed in water environment for a long time will threaten the human health and environment. Both traditional and advanced methods are used to remove them from the solution. However, before removal of the emerging contaminants, it is necessary to understand the level of them in solution for choosing the appropriate treatment. Based on relative literatures, the carbon dots (CDs) materials with optical, electrical, electrochemical, non-toxic properties, have been used in the fields of optics, energy, biomedicine, and environment. However, there is no systematic review on the environmental application of CDs materials from the detection to removal of contaminants. Therefore, a key focus of the review is the exceptional performance of CDs, and their capability as sensor and adsorbent/catalyst and respective mechanism are summarized. Firstly, the optical and electrochemical properties of CDs are analyzed. And then the preparation and modification methods are summarized. A significant portion of the discussion is dedicated to exploring the detailed applications of CDs materials in detecting and eliminating contaminants from solutions. At last, the main knowledge gaps and future challenges for realizing the full potential of CDs in environmental systems are also highlighted. In conclusion, CDs hold great potential for applications in contaminants detection and removal, and their adaptable and versatile nature provides new avenues for addressing environmental challenges.