Green synthesized carbon dots embedded in silica molecularly imprinted polymers, characterization and application as a rapid and selective fluorimetric sensor for determination of thiabendazole in juices

•Carbon dots (CDs) was synthesized from Rosemary leaves as a carbon source.•Silica based-molecularly imprinted polymer was stabilized on the surface of the CDs.•A new optical sensor is developed to measure trace amount of thiabendazole.•Photoluminescence of the nanocomposite could be enhanced by thiabendazole.•Thiabendazole is measured from 0.03 to 1.73 μg/mL with a LOD of 8 ng/mL. An eco-friendly method was used to synthesize carbon dots (CDs) from Rosemary leaves, as a carbon source. The as-synthesized CDs was applied as a fluorophore in an optical sensor after modification with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for determination of thiabendazole (TBZ). For this purpose, a silica shell using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), as a Si source, was stabilized on the surface of CDs via reverse microemulsion technique. Following, MIPs were synthesized in the presence of TBZ as a template, using 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane and TEOS as a functional monomer and a crosslinker, respectively. After optimization of the experimental parameters, a linear dynamic range of 0.03–1.73 μg/mL TBZ with a detection limit as 8 ng/mL were obtained for the suggested method. Finally, the proposed sensor was successfully applied for the determination of TBZ in apple, orange, and tomato juices. This sensor is a simple, rapid, selective, and non-expensive method for TBZ measurement.