Green Synthesised Carbon Nanodots Using the Maillard Reaction for the Rapid Detection of Elemental Selenium in Water and Carbonated Beverages.

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element involved in antioxidant redox regulation, thyroid hormone metabolism, and cancer prevention. Among its different forms, elemental selenium (Se), particularly at the nanoscale, has gained growing attention in food, feed, and biomedical applications due to its lower toxicity and higher bioavailability compared to inorganic selenium species. However, the detection of Se in real samples remains challenging as current analytical methods are time-consuming, labour-intensive, and often unsuitable for rapid analysis. In this study, we developed a method for rapidly measuring Se using carbon nanodots (CNDs) produced from the Maillard reaction between glucose and glycine. The fabricated CNDs were water-dispersible and strongly fluorescent, with an average particle size of 3.90 ± 1.36 nm. Comprehensive characterisation by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), fluorescence spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy confirmed their structural and optical properties. The CNDs were employed as fluorescent probes for the selective detection of Se. The sensor showed a wide linear detection range (0-12.665 mmol L), with a low detection limit (LOD) of 0.381 mmol L and a quantification limit (LOQ) of 0.465 mmol L. Validation with spiked real samples-including ultra-pure water, tap water, and soft drinks-yielded high recoveries (98.6-108.1%) and low relative standard deviations (<3.4%). These results highlight the potential of CNDs as a simple, reliable, and environmentally friendly sensing platform for trace-level Se detection in complex food and beverage matrices.