Sulfur and nitrogen co-doped carbon dots sensors for nitric oxide fluorescence quantification

•S,N co-doped CDs were microwave synthetized from citric acid, urea and sodium thiosulfate.•The NO fluorescence sensing was evaluated at pH 7.•The selective and sensitive detection of NO at pH 7 was achieved.•Good NO quantification results in serum samples were obtained.

Microwave synthetized sulfur and nitrogen co-doped carbon dots responded selectively to nitric oxide (NO) at pH 7. Citric acid, urea and sodium thiosulfate in the proportion of 1:1:3 were used respectively as carbon, nitrogen and sulfur sources in the carbon dots microwave synthesis. For this synthesis, the three compounds were diluted in 15 mL of water and exposed for 5 min to a microwave radiation of 700 W. It is observed that the main factor contributing to the increased sensitivity and selectivity response to NO at pH 7 is the sodium thiosulfate used as sulfur source. A linear response range from 1 to 25 μM with a sensitivity of 16 μM−1 and a detection limit of 0.3 μM were obtained. The NO quantification capability was assessed in standard and in fortified serum solutions.

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