Design and synthesis of surface-decorated zinc-doped carbon quantum dots as fluorescent probes for tartrazine detection in real food samples exploiting the inner filter effect mechanism
Sharayu S. Chaudhari, Pravin O. Patil, Sachin S. Mali, Md Shamsher Alam, Sopan Nangare, Sanjay B. Bari, Zamir G. Khan
Abstract
We developed a rapid and sensitive method for detecting tartrazine (Tar), a common food colorant , using zinc-doped carbon quantum dots (Zn-doped CQDs). Synthesized from biowaste pigeon pod shells and zinc acetate , the Zn-doped CQDs exhibited a high quantum yield (47.63%) and were characterized by photo-stability, non-toxicity, and water solubility. The inner filter effect (IFE) allows selective attenuation of Zn-doped CQD fluorescence by Tar, enabling precise detection. The approach obtains a low detection limit of 20.35 ng/mL and a quantification limit of 61.69 ng/mL within a linear range of 0–100 ng/mL under optimal conditions when employing the Box-Behnken statistical design. The approach demonstrates excellent reproducibility, successfully detecting Tar in real food samples with recovery rates ranging from 89% to 102.2%. This high accuracy confirms the sensor's reliability and effectiveness in practical applications. This cost-effective and rapid technique presents a promising solution for monitoring Tar levels in food products.