The Mechanism Behind Pd(II) and Carbofuran-Induced Change of Graphene Quantum Dots Photoluminescence Intensity

Abstract

The increasing presence of pesticides and heavy metals in the environment and their negative impact on human, animal, and plant health, demand green, low-cost, and simple methods for their monitoring. Due to photoluminescence (PL) in the visible part of the spectrum, biocompatibility, and ecological acceptability, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are at the center of attention in the field of optical sensing. GQDs show great potential as PL sensors for Pd(II) ions and insecticide carbofuran. In this work, FTIR spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation were used to resolve the mechanism of PL change in the presence of these analytes.