Ratiometric fluorescent sensors for sequential on-off-on determination of riboflavin, Ag+ and l-cysteine based on NPCl-doped carbon quantum dots

The fluorescent sensor, especially ratiometric fluorescent sensor, is one of the most important applications for CQDs, which is becoming a research hotspot. Herein, carbon quantum dots co-doped with nitrogen, phosphorus and chlorine (NPCl-CQDs) were synthesized by acid-base neutralization reaction exothermic carbonization method. The as-fabricated NPCl-CQDs could emit blue fluorescence and possess excellent fluorescence properties. Based on the FRET, multifunctional and ratiometric fluorescent sensors for “on-off-on” sequential determination of riboflavin, Ag+, and Cys with good selectivity and high sensitivity were established. The linear range of riboflavin, Ag+, and Cys are 0.50–10.18 μM and 15.89–27.76 μM, 0.66–1.46 mM and 1.50–4.20 mM, and 0.01–0.15 μM and 0.15–0.36 μM with the limit of detection of 3.50 nM, 26.38 μM, and 0.96 nM, respectively. Furthermore, the sensors were successfully used to determine riboflavin, Ag+, and Cys in tablets, river water, and human urine with the recoveries of 95.2–104.0%, 95.6–102.0%, and 94.8–106.4%, respectively. More importantly, the as-constructed “on-off-on” NPCl-CQDs-based ratiometric fluorescent sensors were applied for detecting riboflavin, Ag+, and Cys in HeLa cells with satisfying results. The finding of this study shows the feasibility and effectiveness of the NPCl-CQDs as the available ratiometric fluorescent sensors for the determination of riboflavin, Ag+, and Cys in real samples and living cells.