Glutathione-capped Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots as a room-temperature phosphorescence sensor for the detection of Pb2 + ions

• A new RTP sensor for Pb2 + detection based on GSH-Mn-ZnS QDs has been fabricated.
• The RTP sensor showed good sensitivity for Pb2 + with detection limit of 0.45 μg·L− 1
• The sensor was applied to determine Pb2 + in water samples without interference.

The room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) of glutathione-capped Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots (GSH-Mn-ZnS QDs) was effectively quenched by the addition of Pb2 +. A simple and sensitive RTP sensor for Pb2 + detection based on the quenching effect was developed. Under the optimal conditions, good linear correlations were obtained for Pb2 + over a concentration range from 1.0 to 100 μg·L− 1, and the detection limit was 0.45 μg·L− 1. The established method has been successfully applied for the determination of Pb2 + in real water samples without complicated sample pretreatment with the recoveries in the range of 95.4%–104.0%.

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