A novel ratiometric fluorescent nanosensor based-on UiO-66-NH2 capped carbon dots for nitrite determination

Nitrite is a commonly used food preservative and a water contaminant that has garnered significant attention due to its harmful effects on human health. Developing a simple and sensitive method for determining nitrite levels is crucial for safeguarding public health. In this paper, we present a novel ratiometric fluorescent nanosensor (CDs@UiO-66-NH2), created by combining orange-red-emitting CDs with blue-emitting UiO-66-NH2. This ratiometric probe detects nitrite ions (NO2−) based on the diazotization reaction between the amino group in UiO-66-NH2 and the target NO2−, where the blue emission of UiO-66-NH2 is quenched but the orange-red emission of CDs remains stable. The probe demonstrated a detection range of 0.5–20 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.157 μM for NO2−. Due to the probe's distinct color changes in response to NO2−, RGB values can be easily read using a smartphone, enabling ultrasensitive visual detection of NO2− with an LOD of 0.76 μM. This sensor was successfully applied to detect NO2− in environmental water samples. Finally, a smartphone-based RGB reading method using CDs@UiO-66-NH2 for visual quantitative detection of NO2− was proposed, broadening the application of CDs@UiO-66-NH2 in environmental protection. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.