{
  "abstract": "The development of ultrasound-assisted strategies for synthesizing carbon-based nanomaterials has attracted increasing attention owing to the unique physicochemical properties and broad environmental applications. In this study, highly fluorescent surface-state-engineered boron- and nitrogen-co-doped carbon quantum dots (BN-CQDs) were synthesized via an ultrasound-assisted hydrothermal approach using an ultrasonic bath operating at 160 W and a fixed frequency of 37 kHz. The ultrasound-assisted process, together with boron and nitrogen, influenced the physicochemical and optical properties of the resulting BN-CQDs, yielding well-dispersed nanodots with surface-active functional groups and suitable optical properties for the detection of fluoroquinolone antibiotics. The synthesized BN-CQDs were systematically characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, PL, FTIR, XRD, and XPS. The BN-CQDs exhibited intense blue fluorescence with maximum excitation and emission wavelengths of 380 and 440 nm, respectively, and a high fluorescent quantum yield of 56.8%, highlighting their favorable optical properties for sensing. The fluorescence intensity decreased gradually with increasing concentrations of ciprofloxacin (CIP) and levofloxacin (LVX), primarily attributed to photoinduced electron-transfer and charge-transfer interactions between antibiotic molecules and the surface-active functional groups of the BN-CQDs. Under optimized conditions, the developed fluorescent nanoprobe exhibited a linear response over the concentration range of 0 to 50μmol L⁻¹, with low detection limits of 0.286μmol L⁻¹ for CIP and 0.320μmol L⁻¹ for LVX. Moreover, the sensing platform exhibited excellent selectivity against common metal ions, biomolecules, and interfering antibiotics. Its practical applicability was validated by satisfactory recoveries of 98.0 to 102.0% for CIP and LVX in drinking and tap water samples. DFT calculations provided further insights into the charge-transfer interactions responsible for fluorescence quenching. The ultrasound-assisted synthesis of BN-CQDs provides a promising sonochemical route for developing fluorescent nanoprobes for the sensitive detection of fluoroquinolone antibiotics.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Biomedical Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi, South Korea; High-tech Medical Equipment Research Institute, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi, South Korea.",
    "Department of Environmental Science, Periyar University, Salem 636011, Tamil Nadu, India.",
    "Department of Biomedical Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi, South Korea; High-tech Medical Equipment Research Institute, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi, South Korea. Electronic address: mani.env2014@gmail.com.",
    "Department of Biomedical Engineering, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi, South Korea; High-tech Medical Equipment Research Institute, Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi, South Korea. Electronic address: kssong10@kumoh.ac.kr."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Duraisamy Elango"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Velu Subash"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Palaniyappan Jayanthi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Velu Manikandan",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9148-8413"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Kwang Soup Song"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/89vym98m3tkjc.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1016/j.ultsonch.2026.108094",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13671363",
  "id": "89vym98m3tkjc",
  "issns": [
    "1350-4177",
    "1873-2828"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42832877",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2505|Carbon and Quantum Dots Applications"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7215738603",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13671363?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13671363",
  "pmid": "42832877",
  "published": "2026-10-02",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/89vym98m3tkjc.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:10Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42832877",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42832877"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:2505|Carbon and Quantum Dots Applications",
      "subfield": "materials-polymers"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of surface state engineered BN-carbon quantum dots for fluoroquinolone sensing: DFT insights.",
  "title_text": "Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of surface state engineered BN-carbon quantum dots for fluoroquinolone sensing: DFT insights.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:10Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/89vym98m3tkjc",
  "venue": "Ultrasonics sonochemistry",
  "versions": []
}