Carbon dots serve as an effective probe for the quantitative determination and for intracellular imaging of mercury(II)

Abstract

We describe a new method for synthesis of water-soluble photoluminescent carbon dots (CDs) by one-pot hydrothermal treatment of adipic acid and triammonium citrate. The CDs have excitation/emission maxima of 340/440 nm, a quantum yield of 0.13, and are shown to be a viable fluorescent probe for the determination of Hg(II). It shows a linear relationship in the 4 to 18 μM mercury ion concentration range. The detection limit is as low as 2.47 μM. The CDs were applied to intracellular sensing and imaging of Hg(II) where they showed low toxicity.