Preparation of graphene quantum dots based core-satellite hybrid spheres and their use as the ratiometric fluorescence probe for visual determination of mercury(II) ions

•A facile strategy for preparing GQDs based core-satellite hybrid spheres was reported.•Such spheres can be used as the ratiometric fluorescence probe for Hg2+ detection.•The Hg2+ content can be easily distinguished by the naked eye.•The sensor shows high sensitivity and selectivity toward Hg2+ detection.•The ratiometric probe is of good simplicity, low toxicity, and excellent stability.

We herein proposed a simple and effective strategy for preparing graphene quantum dots (GQDs)-based core-satellite hybrid spheres and further explored the feasibility of using such spheres as the ratiometric fluorescence probe for the visual determination of Hg2+. The red-emitting CdTe QDs were firstly entrapped in the silica nanosphere to reduce their toxicity and improve their photo and chemical stabilities, thus providing a built-in correction for environmental effects, while the GQDs possessing good biocompatibility and low toxicity were electrostatic self-assembly on the silica surface acting as reaction sites. Upon exposure to the increasing contents of Hg2+, the blue fluorescence of GQDs can be gradually quenched presumably due to facilitating nonradiative electron/hole recombination annihilation. With the embedded CdTe QDs as the internal standard, the variations of the tested solution display continuous fluorescence color changes from blue to red, which can be easily observed by the naked eye without any sophisticated instrumentations and specially equipped laboratories. This sensor exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity toward Hg2+ in a broad linear range of 10 nM–22 μM with a low detection limit of 3.3 nM (S/N = 3), much lower than the allowable Hg2+ contents in drinking water set by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This prototype ratiometric probe is of good simplicity, low toxicity, excellent stabilities, and thus potentially attractive for Hg2+ quantification related biological systems.

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