Green microwave-prepared N and S Co-doped carbon dots as a new fluorescent nano-probe for tilmicosin detection

• Published in: Talanta (Oxford) 2023-12, Vol.265, p.124853-124853, Article 124853
• Main Authors: Elshenawy, Eman A., El-Malla, Samah F., Hammad, Sherin F., Mansour, Fotouh R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dynamic quenching; Green preparation; Microwave-assisted synthesis; N,S co-doped carbon dots; Tilmicosin
• ISSN: 0039-9140; 1873-3573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.124853

A straightforward, rapid, and selective fluorescent probe for determination of tilmicosin has been developed based on novel nitrogen and sulfur co-doped CDs (NS-CD). The NS-CDs were synthesized, for the first time, through green, simple one step microwave pyrolysis in only 90 s using glucose as carbon source and l-cysteine as nitrogen and sulfur source. This proposed synthesis method was energy-efficient and resulted in NS-CDs with high production yield (54.27 wt%) and narrow particle size distribution. Greenness of NS-CDs synthesis method was assessed using EcoScale and was proven to be excellent green synthesis. The produced NS-CDs were applied as a nano-probe for determination of tilmicosin in its marketed formulation and milk based on dynamic quenching mechanism. The developed probe showed a good performance for tilmicosin detection in marketed oral solution and pasteurized milk and linearity range of 9–180 μM and 9–120 μM, respectively. [Display omitted] •Novel NS-CDs were synthesized by rapid microwave pyrolysis of glucose and l-cysteine.•Green synthesis with excellent environmental impact as proven by EcoScale tool.•NS-CDs as the first fluorescence-based determination of TLM.•The developed sensor was successfully employed for TLM determination in marketed formulation and milk samples.