Carbon quantum dots as a promising tool for heavy metal sensing and removal in wastewater
Pooja Singh, Lalit Kumar Singh
Abstract
Heavy metal ions have attracted global attention owing to their significant contribution to environmental pollution, posing a potential hazard to human health that led to concern regarding the adverse impact of heavy metal contamination on well-being. While conventional water treatment technologies demonstrate effectiveness in certain scenarios, they face considerable challenges regarding economic viability, performance efficiency, and environmental impact, especially for trace contaminant removal in multi-pollutant systems. CQDs have emerged as a novel nanomaterial with exceptional optical, electronic, and adsorption properties that offer significant advantages. Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have gained significant attention recentlyowing to their exceptional biocompatibility, water solubility, sensitivity, selectivity, ease of synthesis, cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness. These characteristics make CQDs an effective tool for severalecological applications, such as heavy metal detection, adsorption and dye degradation. The optical characteristics of green quantum dots may vary from those of metal-based quantum dots due to recent progress in synthesizing green quantum dots with favourable optical properties. Modifying the surface of quantum dots may increase their catalytic efficiency and durability. Enhancing the interactions between metal ions and quantum dots, together with improving the effectiveness of the photocatalytic process, may be accomplished by modifying the surface of quantum dots with certain functional groups.In this review, we explore various methods for synthesizing carbon quantum dots, delving into their advanced approach for efficient water treatment. Additionally, we examine the recent developments inCQDs research, with a particular focus ontheir utility in detecting and monitoring heavy metal contaminants.