Fluorescence turn-on sensing of trace cadmium ions based on EDTA-etched CdTe@CdS quantum dot

A fluorescence turn-on sensing method for trace cadmium in water phase was proposed. The detection is based on the fluorescence recovering of EDTA-etched CdTe@CdS QDs by adding Cd2+. An extremely low detection limit of 0.032 μM (3.60 μg/L) was obtained, which is lower than the permissible level (5 ppb) of Cd2+ in drinking water stipulated by EPA.207