Issue 68, 2019, Issue in Progress

Environmentally benign, facile and selective recovery of gold from aqueous media: synergic role of carbon dots as green reductant and sensor towards Au3+ ions

Abstract

Photoluminescent carbon dots (PL CDs) have drawn tremendous attention from researchers owing to their admirable properties and wide range of applications. Herein, highly PL nitrogen and sulfur doped carbon dots (N,S-CDs) were synthesized through a facile, green and rapid one-step microwave assisted method using goat hooves, a bio-waste and a green precursor. The structural and photophysical properties of as obtained N,S-CDs were thoroughly investigated. From the investigation, it is revealed that the N,S-CDs possess a spherical morphology with an average particle size of about 2 nm, highly amorphous nature, high functionality, negative zeta potential (−32 mV), good water-solubility, excitation dependant PL, high PL quantum yield (23.8%), nanosecond lifetime (τavg = 3.38 ns) and excellent storage stability for 180 days without any agglomeration. In addition, the N,S-CDs exhibit high PL stability under diverse pH conditions, wide ionic strength and resistance towards photobleaching, which are very important properties for practical applications. The N,S-CDs selectively sense Au3+ ions and also reduce the Au3+ ions to metallic gold. Hence, the N,S-CDs were successfully applied as a potential candidate for sensing of Au3+ and simultaneous extraction of metallic gold in aqueous media without any further reducing agents. It is a significant green way for the recovery of gold in aqueous media.

Graphical abstract: Environmentally benign, facile and selective recovery of gold from aqueous media: synergic role of carbon dots as green reductant and sensor towards Au3+ ions

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
04 Oct 2019
Accepted
18 Nov 2019
First published
02 Dec 2019
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

RSC Adv., 2019,9, 39689-39698

Environmentally benign, facile and selective recovery of gold from aqueous media: synergic role of carbon dots as green reductant and sensor towards Au3+ ions

K. Raji, R. Vadivel, S. K. Thiyagarajan and P. Ramamurthy, RSC Adv., 2019, 9, 39689 DOI: 10.1039/C9RA08050C

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