Synthesis of Topped ZnSeO4 QDs and their Evaluation as Chemical Nanosensors for Anthracene, Benzo (A) Pyrene, Pyrene and Pyridine

Synthesis and characterization of hexamine capped ZnSeO4 QDs (ZnSeO4-Hex) by heating up method (HU) was achieved. These, of two crystallite sizes, denoted QDsS1 and QDsS2; with crystallite diameters of 8.6 nm and 14.0 nm respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern bared hexagonal close packed (hcp) crystal structure. Band gap for QDsS1 was 5.85 eV and for QDsS2 3.8 to 4.3 eV. Hexamine (C6H10N4) cap on ZnSeO4 QDs was elucidated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) results. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) images revealed polycrystallites of different orientation, showing crystal grains separated by tilted grain boundary folds. These QDs were tested as optical chemical nano-sensors for carcinogenic organic pollutants: Anthracene (ANTH), Benzo (a) pyrene (BaP), pyrene (PRN) and pyridine (py). Results revealed that, when the organic pollutants interacted with the QDs, they caused characteristic changes in the way these nanoparticles interacted with characteristic fluorescence and absorbance spectrum