Fluorescent nanosensors based on green carbon dots (CDs) and molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for environmental pollutants: Emerging trends and future prospects

Extraordinary features of carbon dots (CDs) including their biocompatibility, water solubility, stability, tunability, low cost and scalability make them as promising nanomaterials for a number of application areas such as fluorescent nanosensors. Combination of these superiorities with the advantages of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) such as high affinity, selectivity, robustness and reusability provides the development of novel fluorescent nanosensors with enhanced sensitivity and selectivity towards the target compounds. This paper provides an overview of green approaches for the synthesis of CDs, integration of CDs with MIPs and recent developments on the design and construction of sensitive green CDs/MIPs-based fluorescent nanosensors for the detection of various pollutants (i.e. antibiotics, pesticides, heavy metals and explosive compounds etc.) in environmental samples.