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Abstract
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The intelligent combination of graphene quantum dots with magnetic oxide nanoparticles, such as Fe3O4, creates an advanced nanocomposite with exceptional capabilities for the pre-concentration and measurement of heavy metals. This nanocomposite synergizes the advantages of both components: the very high specific surface area and abundant functional groups on the graphene quantum dots provide superior adsorption capacity and selective interaction with metal ions, while the superparamagnetic property of the iron oxide nanoparticles enables the rapid and easy separation of the adsorbent from the sample solution using only an external magnet. Following the magnetic separation and adsorption process, the concentrated heavy metals on the adsorbent can be easily extracted using a suitable elution solvent and then measured with sensitive techniques like atomic absorption spectroscopy or inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. This strategy significantly improves the detection limit and allows for the accurate and precise assay of heavy metals even in complex environmental and biological matrices.
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