Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Food Analytical Methods, cilt.19, sa.7, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Carbon quantum dots (CDs) obtained from waste materials are promising nanomaterials for use in sensors due to their high stability, hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, and strong fluorescence properties. In this study, strontium-doped walnut shell CDs (Sr@WS-CDs) were synthesized from waste walnut shells via an environmentally friendly pyrolysis method, and their usability in the detection of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was investigated using a fluorescence-based approach. The obtained CDs were structurally verified by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging showed that they have a spherical morphology in the size range of 2–5 nm. Fluorescence measurements revealed that the emission intensity at 454 nm increased after Sr doping, forming a strong peak at 446 nm. Sr@WS-CDs demonstrated high stability against temperature and pH changes. Tests on food samples showed that Sr@WS-CDs could detect AFB1 in food samples with over 90% accuracy. Additionally, a linear detection range of 25–250 ppm was obtained with a detection limit of 25 ppm. The developed method exhibited high accuracy (89.5–97.2%) and low relative standard deviation (1.8–2.3%) in real food samples, indicating excellent analytical performance. These findings demonstrate that high-sensitivity fluorescent probes can be synthesized using waste walnut shell–based Sr@WS-CDs produced using a non-toxic, easy, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly method and can be effectively used in food safety applications.