A dual-emission ratiometric fluorescent sensor L/J-CDs with specific response to cetirizine hydrochloride in environmental water samples

Abstract

Cetirizine hydrochloride (CTZ) in wastewater is a persistent organic pollutant that causes imbalance in aquatic ecosystems and cellular level damage to aquatic organisms such as mussels and clams. In this research, a simple and stable ratiometric fluorescent sensor (L/J-CDs) consisting of two independently emitting carbon dots (L-CDs and J-CDs) was developed for speedy and instantaneous testing of CTZ. After the CTZ was introduced into the sensing platform, the fluorescence signal of L-CDs at 445 nm quenched, while the internal reference of J-CDs at 578 nm remained unaffected. The linear ranges were 0.05–60 μM and 60–290 μM. Compared with other methods, the current ratiometric fluorescence sensing method has better fluorescence assay reproducibility and a wider linear range, and visual detection can be realized with the help of a smartphone as well as direct visualization under UV light. The detection limit of this sensor is lower than those of other methods, except for the higher detection limit compared to that of CDs-MIPs. In addition, the spiked recoveries were controlled with limits of 98.9% to 101.3% and the relative standard deviation (RSD) values were within the range of 0.76% to 3.5% in three selected environmental water samples. The construction of this sensor provides a new finding for the initial detection of CTZ in complex matrices.