Eco-friendly sensing of hexavalent chromium ions via copper-doped carbon quantum dots: a fluorescent probe for water safety

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The hydrothermal synthesis is presented of copper-doped carbon dots (Cu-CDs) from citric acid, urea, and copper chloride, resulting in blue-fluorescent particles with stable emission at 438 nm when excited at 340 nm. Through comprehensive spectroscopic and microscopic characterization (FTIR, XPS, UV, and HRTEM), the Cu-CDs demonstrated remarkable stability across varying pH levels, ionic strengths, temperatures, and UV exposure. Notably, Cu-CDs exhibit ultra-sensitive and selective detection of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] ions in aqueous environments driven by fluorescence quenching. The system showed a robust linear response to Cr(VI) in the 0-80 µM range, with an impressive limit of detection (LOD) of 0.186 µM, significantly lower than the WHO's permissible limit of 0.96 µM. These findings position Cu-CDs as an effective tool for environmental monitoring and water safety applications.