An ultra-sensitive analytical platform based on bluish green emitting carbon quantum dots for the detection of curcumin in dietary foods

Abstract This work reports the development of a new analytical method for the rapid detection of curcumin in food samples by using bluish green emissive fluorescence carbon quantum dots (BG-CQDs) as nanoprobe. The sensing mechanism behind the detection work is the quenching effect of curcumin on the fluorescence intensity of BG-CQDs, where curcumin and BG-CQDs interact via a combined effect of inner filter effect (IFE) and dynamic interaction process. After optimisation of the experimental parameters, the developed analytical method is capable of detecting curcumin with good selectivity and high sensitivity, achieving good linearity in the concentration range of 0.01–25.0 μM. A limit of detection (LOD) of 28.7 nM was obtained, which is lower than that of any of the previously reported CQDs-based fluorescence methods. The developed analytical method was applied to the analyses of food samples with a high degree of accuracy and precision. This work highlights a robust BG-CQDs-based analytical platform of rapid response, low cost, great simplicity, high selectivity and favourable sensitivity, which exhibits immense potential for the accurate monitoring of the curcumin content in dietary food samples.