Synthesis of B, N-co-doped carbon dots with high quantum yield for the selective detection of hydrogen peroxide and ascorbic acid in food samples

B, N-co-doped carbon dots (B, N-CDs) were prepared using hydrothermal method with 3-amino phenylboronic acid (3-APBA) as a precursor, yielding 82.5 %. The as-prepared B, N-CDs demonstrated highly stable fluorescence emission with a fluorescence quantum yield (FQY) of 51.4 % under various experimental conditions including 4 M NaCl solution, 120 days of storage, and solution temperature of 100 °C. Based on the boronate affinity between boric acid groups on the surface of B, N-CDs, and the cis -diol structure of ascorbic acid (AA), a novel fluorescence assay for AA was established with a detection limit of 41 nM. Additionally, based on the redox reaction between hydroperoxide (H 2 O 2 ) and boric acid groups on B, N-CDs, a fluorescence assay for H 2 O 2 with a detection limit of 4.5 nM was developed. The proposed fluorescent assay methods were successfully applied for the determination of AA and H 2 O 2 traces in food samples, and the spiking recoveries were in the range of 82.5 % −115.75 %.