title: A sensor based on blue luminescent graphene quantum dots for analysis of a common explosive substance and an industrial intermediate, 2,4,6-trinitrophenol.
abstract: A rapid and effective sensor for the analysis of nitrophenol-based explosive substances, represented by trinitrophenol (TNP), has been developed with the use of the blue luminescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs); these GQDs are derived from citric acid by a pyrolysis procedure. They emit strong blue fluorescence at 450 nm after excitation at 365 nm, and TNP can quench this fluorescence because a fluorescence resonance energy transfer occurs. The quenching ratio (F0-F)/F0 was related linearly to the concentration of TNP in the range of 0.1-15 μmol L(-1) with a detection limit of 0.091 μmol L(-1) (S/N=3). The developed method exhibits high sensitivity, good linearity and reliable reproducibility for the quantitative analysis of TNP in water samples. The GQDs were used directly without any further treatment or complicated modification.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China; Department of Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China; Department of Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China. Electronic address: ynni@ncu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yongnian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4001, Australia. Electronic address: s.kokot@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kokot
mesh_terms: D053834:Explosive Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D049408:Luminescent Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000379:methods; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010851:Picrates / Q000032:analysis*; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D053834:Explosive Agents; D049408:Luminescent Agents; D010851:Picrates; D006108:Graphite; C005858:picric acid
keywords: 2,4,6-Trinitrophenol; Fluorescence quenching; Graphene quantum dots; Phenolic analogs