Rapid “turn-on” detection of atrazine using highly luminescent N-doped carbon quantum dot

Nitrogen doped carbon quantum dot based highly selective luminescent probe has been designed for the detection of herbicide atrazine. Nitrogen doped carbon quantum dot with PLQY 28% has been prepared from hydrothermal treatment of orthophenylene diamine. The turn-on fluorescence of the probe on addition of atrazine is attributed to aggregation induced fluorescence enhancement of amine functionalized carbon dot. The hydrogen bonding interaction of surface amine groups of carbon dot probe and atrazine makes the probe selective and ultrasensitive towards atrazine even in presence of other pesticides and metal ions. The limit of detection for atrazine sensing was found to be 3 pM, which is the lowest among all reported methods for the detection of atrazine. Due to low detection limit the utility of the developed sensor has also been explored in real agricultural samples. Owing to the excellent luminescence property and photostability this fluorescent probe can also be utilised to detect atrazine in bacterial cell by imaging.