Dual-modes of ratiometric fluorescent and smartphone-integrated colorimetric detection of glyphosate by carbon dots encapsulated porphyrin metal–organic frameworks

Ultrasensitive, reliable and prompt pre-warning of pesticide residue is critically significant to ensure environmental and food safety. Herein, a novel nanosensor fabricated by in situ encapsulating N-doped carbon dots into a porphyrin metal–organic framework was developed to ratiometric fluorescence (RF) and smartphone-integrated portable platform colorimetric dual-mode detection of glyphosate (GLP). The sensor responded to GLP by RF in the range of 0.01–6.67 mg/L with low limit of detection of 9.06 µg/L. Besides, a noticeable color evolution from pink purple to green under nature light was observed upon addition of GLP, thus a portable smartphone-integrated colorimetric platform was fabricated for visual colorimetric detecting GLP by incorporating the sensor with a smartphone and a 3D-printed mini-device. Interestingly, the platform can detect GLP merely by virtue of a built-in flashlight of the smartphone and Color Analyser Application. Additionally, desirable recoveries of 94.0–112.5 % and 90.0–113.6 % in spiked real samples were respectively obtained for RF and colorimetric channel. Furthermore, a one-to-one colorimetric logic gate (RGB vs GLP concentrations) offered the possibility of intelligent monitoring of GLP. Summarily, the versatile sensor satisfied laboratory instrumental analysis and was further integrated as a smartphone-assisted platform to furnish a novel tactic for quick GLP monitoring, particularly for resource-constrained settings.