Fluorescent carbon nanoparticles obtained from charcoal via green methods and their application for sensing Fe in an aqueous medium.

Two green methods (microwave and hydrothermal) were employed for the preparation of water dispersible fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) from activated charcoal. Microwave and hydrothermally synthesized carbon nanoparticles, (MW-CNPs) and (HT-CNPs), respectively were characterized by microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. A detailed study of their fluorescence characteristics was made.