“…The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has regulated the maximum allowable level of Fe(III) in drinking water to be 0.3 mg L À1 (equivalent to 5.4 mM). 7,8 Among the available trace analysis methods for Fe(III), fluorescence technology exhibits greater advantages in terms of rapidness, convenience and economics, but not always in sensitivity (dQE/dc Fe(III) , QE = quenching efficiency), selectivity, safety and adaptability, when compared to mass spectrometry (MS), 9 voltammetry, 10 liquid chromatography (LC), 11 and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). 12 Carbon dots (CDs) are nextgeneration photoluminescent nanomaterials that provide remarkable fluorescence properties, 13 with less toxicity, 14,15 better biocompatibility 16,17 and lower cost.…”