Recent developments in carbon dot-based green analytical methods: new opportunities in fluorescence assays of pesticides, drugs and biomolecules

Abstract

Fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) attract huge attention in analytical and bioanalytical applications due to their high selectivity towards target analytes, specificity, photostability, and quantum yield. The cost-effective and biocompatible properties of CDs show great potentiality to integrate with optical analytical tools to detect pesticides, drugs, and biomolecules via various sensing mechanisms. In this review, we specifically focus on the recent progress in fluorescent CD-based green analytical approaches for sensing pesticides, drugs, and biomolecules. The detection mechanisms of CD-based analytical strategies are also summarized. We illustrate the synthetic approaches and optical properties of CDs along with the type of detection mechanism and analytical characteristics (linear range and limit of detection) for assaying pesticides, drugs and biomolecules in tables. Finally, we briefly describe the opportunities and key future challenges of CD-integrated fluorescence strategies for sensing pesticides, drugs and biomolecules.