Masking agent-free and channel-switch-mode simultaneous sensing of Fe(3+) and Hg(2+) using dual-excitation graphene quantum dots.

A novel channel-switch-mode strategy for simultaneous sensing of Fe(3+) and Hg(2+) is developed with dual-excitation single-emission graphene quantum dots (GQDs). By utilizing the dual-channel fluorescence response performance of GQDs, this strategy achieved a facile, low-cost, masking agent-free, quantitative and selective dual-ion assay even in mixed ion samples and practical water samples.