Carbon dots as sensors and sorbents in environmental monitoring protection and chemical analysis

This review aims to analyze the current knowledge about carbon dots for application in environmental monitoring and chemical analysis. Numerous publications describing research on carbon dots confirm the very high potential of their use in many fields of science, such as chemical sensors, analytics, medicine, bioimaging, drug delivery, photocatalysis, mechanical sensors, logic gates, and applications related to safety and countermeasures. Applying carbon dots in the fast and reliable analysis of heavy metal ions and toxic chemical compounds is crucial in the face of increasing environmental pollution. The main advantages of carbon dots, compared to small molecule fluorescent probes, that determine their use in chemical analysis are the possibility of green synthesis, the ability to fluorescence, sorption properties, selectivity of analyte detection, and biocompatibility. However, the laws and mechanisms that determine the properties of carbon dots require a more detailed understanding. Thanks to thorough research into the capabilities of carbon dots, it will be possible to use their full potential. This article is a collection of current knowledge about carbon dots in the context of their use in chemical analysis and environmental protection. It may be a source of information necessary for further research on modification the properties of carbon dots and discovering their more promising analytical and sorption applications. •Rapid progress is being observed in research on the synthesis and analytical applications of carbon dots (CDs).•CDs provides excellent opportunities for the sorption and sensing of metal ions and toxic substances.•The ability of CDs to emit or quench photoluminescence is crucial for environmental screening and chemical analyses.