Quantum Dots as Emerging Nanomaterials for Sensitive and Selective Environmental Contaminant Sensing

Pollutants and contaminants are commonly found in the environment, affecting the air, soil, food, and drinking water. Consequently, the development of novel purification technologies and efficient detection devices for these pollutants is crucial. Many conventional procedures are labor-intensive, costly, require advanced skills, and are generally inconvenient because of their susceptibility. However, detection methods utilizing quantum dots (QDs) can overcome these conventional limitations, such as lengthy detection times and cumbersome processes. This paper seeks to delineate several categories of quantum dots, including metal-based quantum dots, graphene quantum dots (GQDs), and carbon quantum dots (CQDs). This also encapsulates the developments in quantum dot-based detection of environmental contaminants, including antibiotics, heavy metals, pesticides, and viruses, along with the applications of quantum dots in chemical gas sensing. In addition, the environmental issues and toxicity of the QDs were examined. In this review, QDs are presented as a rapidly evolving platform with transformative potential for environmental sensing and pollutant detection, provided their lifecycle impacts are carefully managed and innovative, and less toxic designs are advanced.