The synthesis and modification of highly fluorescent carbon quantum dots for reversible detection of water‐soluble phosphonate‐1‐hydroxyethane‐1,1‐diphosphonic acid by fluorescence spectroscopy.

Photoluminescent (PL) carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were prepared successfully using a facile and green procedure. They exhibited striking blue fluorescence and excellent optical properties, with a quantum yield as high as 61.44%. Due to the fluorescence quenching effect and the stronger complexing ability of the phosphoric acid group of 1‐hydroxyethane‐1,1‐diphosphonic acid (HEDP) to Fe3+, CQDs doped with Fe3+ were adequately constructed as an efficient and sensitive fluorescent probe for HEDP‐specific sensing. The proposed fluorescent probe had a sensitive and rapid response in the range 5–70 μM. Furthermore, quantitative molecular surface (QMS) analysis based on the Multiwfn program was applied to explore the complexation mode of HEDP and metal ions. The distribution of electrostatic potential (ESP), average local ionization energy (ALIE), the minimum value points and the position of the lone pair electrons on the surface of molecular van der Waals were further determined. More strikingly, this experiment achieved the quantitative detection of water‐soluble phosphonate‐HEDP, for the first time using fluorescence spectrometry. It has been proved to be an effective and intuitive sensing method for the detection of HEDP in real samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]