Portable smartphone platform utilizing AIE-featured carbon dots for multivariate visual detection for Cu2+, Hg2+ and BSA in real samples

Heavy metals cause serious toxic threats to both environment and human health. The multivariate, instrument-free, portable, and rapid detection strategy is crucial for determination of heavy metals. Herein, aggregation-induced emission (AIE) featured carbon dots (SN-CDs) were fabricated hydrothermally by optimizing co-doping precursors. With bright yellow emission at 560 nm, the SN-CDs were utilized for multivariate sensing Cu2+, Hg2+ and bovine serum albumin (BSA) based on AIE behavior and static quenching effect, with detection limits of 0.46 μmol·L−1, 25.8 nmol·L−1 and 1.52 μmol·L−1. A portable smartphone platform was constructed to enable portable, prompt, and sensitive analysis for Cu2+, Hg2+, and BSA via different strategies in real water and food samples with satisfied recovery. Moreover, a logic gate circuit was designed to provide the possibilities for utilization of intelligent facility. The proposed AIE SN-CDs possessing great contribution in preferable sensing performance, present promising prospects in real-time monitoring of environment and food safety.