Copper ion-induced fluorescence band shift of CdTe quantum dots: a highly specific strategy for visual detection of Cu(2+) with a portable UV lamp.

We have developed a new colorimetric strategy that allows visual detection of Cu(2+) under the irradiation of a UV lamp with high specificity based on the phenomenon that copper ions may lead to a fluorescence band shift of CdTe quantum dots (QDs) while other concomitant ions will not.