Work

A Comparative Study of Synthesis Routes for Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Quantum Dots in Fluorescence Quenching-Based Nitrite Detection

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The detection of nitrite in water is crucial for environmental and public health monitoring, yet traditional methods are often complex and laboratory-bound. This work reports a comparative study of synthesis routes for developing a low-cost, fluorescence quenching-based sensor using nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs). The facile, one-pot hydrothermal synthesis using citric acid and ethylenediamine yields N-GQDs with superior optical properties and a more uniform size (3.01 ± 0.41 nm) compared to other common precursors. The optimized N-GQDs were successfully applied to nitrite detection in a custom-built, low-cost optoelectronic setup, exhibiting a robust linear response from 0-50 μM and achieving a limit of detection (LOD) of 7.37 μM. This work not only clarifies the role of synthesis routes in N-GQDs' performance but also provides a foundation for on-site water quality monitoring devices.

Source: ACS Omega

DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.5c12566

Authors: David Ibarra, César Fernández-Sánchez, Martí Gich, Oxana Kharissova, Idalia Gomez

Institutions: Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Institut de Microelectrònica de Barcelona, Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona

Language: English

Topic: Carbon and Quantum Dots Applications

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Clean water and sanitation

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,935