A Green Approach to N, S-doped Carbon Dots from Jengkol Peel (Archidendron pauciflorum) for Ratiometric Sensing of Amaranth Dye
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48048/tis.2025.10340Keywords:
Amaranth dye detection, Carbon dots, Jengkol peel, Food safety analysis, FRET mechanism, Nitrogen and sulfur co-dopants, Ratiometric fluorescence probeAbstract
The development of environmentally safe and cost-effective carbon nanoparticle-based ratiometric fluorescence sensors is critical for identifying hazardous synthetic food dyes. N, S-doped carbon dots (N, S-CD) were synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method using jengkol peel waste as the carbon source, with sodium thiosulfate and urea as co-dopants. The material exhibited spherical morphology with an average diamter 7.41 nm and a quantum yield of 20.5 %. Structural analysis confirmed the presence of graphitic structures containing hydroxyl, carboxyl, nitrogen, and sulfur functional groups on the particle surface, which improved dispersibility and created a conjugate system for fluorescence emission. With ideal emission/excitation peaks at 515/370 nm, N, S-CD exhibits excitation-dependent fluorescence. This N, S-CD based sensor has a detection limit of 7.5 nM (range 2.5 - 20 μM) and responds to amaranth with dual-emission fluorescence (λem 515/646 nm, λex 370 nm) through a FRET process. Validation on food samples revealed 94 - 98 % recovery, demonstrating the potential of biomass-based sensors for food safety analysis.
HIGHLIGHTS
- N,S doped carbon dots were successfully synthesized from jengkol peel waste through a green hydrothermal method, resulting in spherical nanoparticles with an average diameter of 7.41 nm.
- The dual-doping strategy significantly enhanced fluorescence properties, increasing quantum yield from 4.5 % (CD) to 20.5 % (N, S-CD) with optimal emission at 515 nm when excited 370 nm.
- The N, S-CD sensor exhibits excellent analytical performance for amaranth dye detection with a LOD of 7.5 nM and linear range of 2.5 - 20 μM through a ratiometric approach (F515/F646).
- The sensing mechanism involves fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), providing dual-emission signals that shift from cyan to yellow under UV light as amaranth concentration increases.
- High selectivity was demonstrated against common food additives and metal ions, with actual samples (strawberry syrup and tomato juice) showing 94 - 98 % recovery rates.
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