A novel nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots as effective fluorescent probes for detecting dopamine.

• A novel N-CQDs were prepared by facile solid-heat method using glycine and urea. • The N-CQDs possessed a relatively high fluorescence QY (21.04 %). • The N-CQDs exhibited very high sensitivity and selectivity to dopamine. • This sensor successfully used for dopamine detection in human serum and rat serum. Herein, a novel nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) with bright blue fluorescence were prepared using glycine and urea by a facile solid-heat method. The prepared N-CQDs had a relatively high quantum yield (QY = 21.04 %), excellent photobleaching resistance, acid and alkali resistance. Moreover, it was used as fluorescent probe for the detection of dopamine (DA) with high selectivity and a low limit of detection (LOD = 0.0972 μM). Additionally, this fluorescent probe was successfully used to the determination of DA in human serum and rat serum with satisfactory recoveries (98.24 %–107.86 %), indicating this probe is was a promising biomolecular sensor for quantitation of DA in serum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]