Preprint / Version 1

Natural Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Dots Obtained from Hydrothermal Carbonization of Chebulic Myrobalan and Their Sensing Ability toward Heavy Metal Ions

Authors

  • Raji Atchudan School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
  • Suguna Perumal Department of Chemistry, Sejong University, Seoul 143747, Republic of Korea
  • Thomas Edison School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea
  • Ashok Sundramoorthy Department of Prosthodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Poonamallee High Road, Velappanchavadi, Chennai 600077, Tamil Nadu, India
  • Rajangam Vinodh Green Hydrogen Lab (GH2Lab), Institute for Hydrogen Research (IHR), Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), 3351 Boulevard des Forges, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
  • Sambasivam Sangaraju National Water and Energy Center, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates
  • Somasundaram Kishore Saveetha School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha Nagar, Chennai 602105, Tamil Nadu, India
  • Yong Lee School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea

Keywords:

Chebulic Myrobalan, hydrothermal carbonization, N-doped carbon dot, fluorometric sensor, heavy metal ion, aqueous medium

Abstract

Chebulic Myrobalan is the main ingredient in the Ayurvedic formulation Triphala, which is used for kidney and liver dysfunctions. Herein, natural nitrogen-doped carbon dots (NN-CDs) were prepared from the hydrothermal carbonization of Chebulic Myrobalan and were demonstrated to sense heavy metal ions in an aqueous medium. Briefly, the NN-CDs were developed from Chebulic Myrobalan by a single-step hydrothermal carbonization approach under a mild temperature (200 °C) without any capping and passivation agents. They were then thoroughly characterized to confirm their structural and optical properties. The resulting NN-CDs had small particles (average diameter: 2.5 ± 0.5 nm) with a narrow size distribution (1–4 nm) and a relatable degree of graphitization. They possessed bright and durable fluorescence with excitation-dependent emission behaviors. Further, the as-synthesized NN-CDs were a good fluorometric sensor for the detection of heavy metal ions in an aqueous medium. The NN-CDs showed sensitive and selective sensing platforms for Fe3+ ions; the detection limit was calculated to be 0.86 μM in the dynamic range of 5–25 μM of the ferric (Fe3+) ion concentration. Moreover, these NN-CDs could expand their application as a potential candidate for biomedical applications and offer a new method of hydrothermally carbonizing waste biomass. Keywords: Chebulic Myrobalan, hydrothermal carbonization, N-doped carbon dot, fluorometric sensor, heavy metal ion, aqueous medium

Author Biographies

Suguna Perumal, Department of Chemistry, Sejong University, Seoul 143747, Republic of Korea

Writing – review & editing, Visualization

Thomas Edison, School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea

Validation, Investigation

Rajangam Vinodh, Green Hydrogen Lab (GH2Lab), Institute for Hydrogen Research (IHR), Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), 3351 Boulevard des Forges, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada

Investigation, Visualization

Yong Lee, School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea

Supervision, Project administration

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