Gamma-Ray-Induced Structural Transformation of GQDs towards the Improvement of Their Optical Properties, Monitoring of Selected Toxic Compounds, and Photo-Induced Effects on Bacterial Strains

Structural modification of different carbon-based nanomaterials is often necessary to improve their morphology and optical properties, particularly the incorporation of N-atoms in graphene quantum dots (GQDs). Here, a clean, simple, one-step, and eco-friendly method for N-doping of GQDs using gamma irradiation is reported. GQDs were irradiated in the presence of the different ethylenediamine (EDA) amounts (1 g, 5 g, and 10 g) and the highest % of N was detected in the presence of 10 g. N-doped GQDs emitted strong, blue photoluminescence (PL). Photoluminescence quantum yield was increased from 1.45, as obtained for non-irradiated dots, to 7.24% for those irradiated in the presence of 1 g of EDA. Modified GQDs were investigated as a PL probe for the detection of insecticide Carbofuran (2,2-Dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-7-yl methylcarbamate) and herbicide Amitrole (3-amino-1,2,4-triazole). The limit of detection was 5.4 μmol L−1 for Carbofuran. For the first time, Amitrole was detected by GQDs in a turn-off/turn-on mechanism using Pd(II) ions as a quenching agent. First, Pd(II) ions were quenched (turn-off) PL of GQDs, while after Amitrole addition, PL was recovered linearly with Amitrole concentration (turn-on). LOD was 2.03 μmol L−1. These results suggest that modified GQDs can be used as an efficient new material for Carbofuran and Amitrole detection. Furthermore, the phototoxicity of dots was investigated on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. When bacterial cells were exposed to different GQD concentrations and illuminated with light of 470 nm wavelength, the toxic effects were not observed.