<p>Arsenic, a highly toxic heavy metal, introduces substantial risks to human health, leading to conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, congenital anomalies, liver and kidney damage, arsenicosis, hemolysis, cancer, neurological issues, and painful skin lesions. Regular monitoring and development of effective remediation strategies are crucial for safeguarding human health and the environment. Current developments have emphasized the advancement of novel analytical methodologies for detecting toxic metal ions, with nanomaterials, particularly carbon-based materials, emerging as promising candidates. This review highlights the potential of zero-dimensional carbon dots (CDs) and inorganic quantum dots (QDs) as sensing material (sensors) for arsenic detection. It provides an in-depth advancement in the application of these nanomaterials for arsenic detection, underscoring their potential in environmental monitoring and public health protection.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>