Photoluminescent C-dots@RGO for sensitive detection of hydrogen peroxide and glucose

We have demonstrated sensitive detections of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and glucose using reduced graphene oxide decorated with carbon dots (C-dots@RGO). The C-dots@RGO prepared from catechin (reducing agent and carbon source) and graphene oxide via hydrothermal routes possesses excitation-wavelength-dependence photoluminescence (PL) characteristics, with maximum excitation and emission wavelengths of 365 and 440 nm, respectively. The C-dots@RGO is stable in solution containing NaCl up to 350 mM, but is quenched by reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS reacts with H2O2 and thus its PL quenching toward the C-dots@RGO is minimized. When using C-dots@RGO and glucose oxidase (GOx), the PL assay allows detection of glucose in the presence of 10 µM of bovine serum albumin, with linearity over a concentration range from 1 to 60 µM (r=0.99) and a limit of detection (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3) of 140 nM. The practicality of this assay has been validated by determining the concentrations of glucose in serum and saliva samples, with results of 5.1±0.6 mM (n=3) and 117.9±8.1 μM (n=3), respectively. Our simple and sensitive assay opens a new avenue of developing assays for various analytes using C-dots@RGO in conjunction with different enzymes.