Preparation of Nitrogen and Sulfur Co-Doped Fluorescent Carbon Dots from Cellulose Nanocrystals as a Sensor for the Detection of Rutin

The poor water solubility, large particle size, and low accessibility of cellulose, the most abundant bioresource, have restricted its generalization to carbon dots (CDs). Herein, nitrogen and sulfur co-doped fluorescent carbon dots (N, S-CDs) were hydrothermally synthesized using cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) as a carbon precursor, exhibiting a small particle size and excellent aqueous dispersion. Thiourea was selected as a nitrogen and sulfur dopant to introduce abundant fluorescent functional groups into N, S-CDs. The resulting N, S-CDs exhibited nanoscale size (6.2 nm), abundant functional groups, bright blue fluorescence, high quantum yield (QY = 27.4%), and high overall yield (16.2%). The excellent optical properties of N, S-CDs endowed it to potentially display a highly sensitive fluorescence “turn off” response to rutin. The fluorescence response for rutin allowed a wide linear range of 0–40 mg·L⁻¹, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.02 μM, which revealed the potential of N, S-CDs as a rapid and simple sensing platform for rutin detection. In addition, the sustainable and large-scale production of the N, S-CDs in this study paves the way for the successful high-value utilization of cellulose.     

三种不同元素掺杂的碳点与DNA相互作用及其机制研究

碳点(carbon dots,CDs)在材料学及生物医学相关领域的研究已引起科研人员的广泛关注.本文采用一步水热法,制备了三种具有不同元素掺杂的CDs、N-CDs、N,S-CDs,并结合多种光谱法、熔链温度法和黏度法,系统地研究了三种不同元素掺杂的碳点与ctDNA结合模式以及结合能力的差异.荧光实验证明三种不同性质的碳...     

Multifunctional N,S co-doped carbon dots for sensitive probing of temperature,ferric ion,and methotrexate

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry - In this paper, we have presented a facile method to fabricate nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon dots (N,S-CDs) for blood methotrexate (MTX) sensing...     

Fluorine-defects induced solid-state red emission of carbon dots with an excellent thermosensitivity

Up to date, solid-state carbon dots (CDs) with bright red fluorescence have scarcely achieved due to aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect and extremely low quantum yield in deep-red to near infrared region. Here, we report a novel fluorine-defects induced solid-state red fluorescence (λ_em = 676 nm, the absolute fluorescence quantum yields is 4.17%) in fluorine, nitrogen and sulfur co-doped CDs (F,N,S-CDs), which is the first report of such a long wavelength emission of solid-state CDs. As a control, CDs without fluorine-doping (N,S-CDs) show no fluorescence in solid-state, and the fluorescence quantum yield/emission wavelength of N,S-CDs in solution-state are also lower/shorter than that of F,N,S-CDs, which is mainly due to the F-induced defect traps on the surface/edge of F,N,S-CDs. Moreover, the solid-state F,N,S-CDs exhibit an interesting temperature-sensitive behavior in the range of 80–420 K, with the maximum fluorescence intensity at 120 K, unveiling its potential as the temperature-dependent fluorescent sensor and the solid-state light-emitting device adapted to multiple temperatures.     

Carbon dots codoped with nitrogen and sulfur are viable fluorescent probes for chromium(VI)

Microchimica Acta - Carbon dots codoped with nitrogen and sulfur (N,S-CDs) were synthesized by a single-step hydrothermal method. The N, S-CDs were characterized by transmission electron...     

CDs assembled metal-organic framework: Exogenous coreactant-free biosensing platform with pore confinement-enhanced electrochemiluminescence

Despite the various synthesis approachs to obtain luminous carbon dots (CDs), it is still quite challenging to construct the efficient electrochemiluminescence (ECL) owing to their low ECL reactivity and easy agglomeration. Herein, an efficient and concise ECL system was skillfully constructed by taking advantage of the nitrogen and sulfur co-doped CDs (N,S-CDs) with surfaces rich in hydrazide groups as luminophors to emit intense ECL, and metal-organic framework (MOF) as the matrix to confine CDs in its nanospace. Surprisingly, the proposed CDs assembled MOF (CDs/ZIF-8) enhanced anodic ECL signal up to 250% of pure CDs under the exogenous coreactant-free condition. As a proof of concept, the highly sensitive detection of uric acid (UA) was realized by the constructed ECL platform with a low detection limit of 3.52 nmol/L ranging from 10 nmol/L to 50 µmol/L. This work expanded ideas for the application of pore confinement effect, and provided references for the detection of disease biomarkers of gout and hyperuricemia.     

Semiconducting polymer dots as near‐infrared fluorescent probes for bioimaging and sensing

In recent years, semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots) have emerged as a new type of ultrabright fluorescent probes, which have been proved to be very useful for biomedical imaging. Pdots possess several exceptional advantages including high fluorescence brightness, fast radiative rate, excellent photostability, and negligible cytotoxicity. Among these new types of Pdots, the near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescent Pdots appear to be the most urgent and important owing to their promising deep‐tissue imaging in the clinic. This mini‐review highlights the recent progress in the design of NIR‐emitting Pdots and their biomedical applications both in vitro and in vivo.     

异元素掺杂碳点的制备及其在生物成像中的应用

荧光碳点具有良好的生物相容性和优良的抗光漂白能力,因此碳点在生物荧光成像方面的应用潜力受到广泛关注,但是碳点相对较低的荧光量子产率和缺乏近红外荧光发射的缺陷限制了碳点在荧光成像分析中的应用.随着异元素掺杂对碳点结构和荧光性质的改善,碳点被越来越广泛地用于生物成像.本文对近年来元素掺杂碳点的合成方法、异元素掺杂对碳点光学性质的影响和元素掺杂碳点在成像分析中的进展进行了综述,并对其应用前景进行了展望.     

氮硫共掺杂碳点的制备及其对牛奶中土霉素的检测

以柠檬酸和谷胱甘肽为原材料,通过热解法一步合成一种氮硫共掺杂蓝色荧光碳点（N,S-CDs）。使用透射电子显微镜（TEM）、紫外-可见吸收光谱、荧光光谱、X射线光电子能谱等技术对制备的碳点进行形貌及光学性质表征。结果表明,该碳点的激发波长和发射波长分别为366和440 nm,荧光产率为0.46,平均粒径为（2.55 ± 0.75） nm。土霉素可有效猝灭该碳点的蓝色荧光,且具有良好的选择性。将该碳点用于牛奶中土霉素的检测时,在0.77~18.40 μg/mL的范围内,（F₀-F）/F₀与土霉素浓度有良好的线性关系,回归方程为y=0.02282x+0.02913,检出限为0.09 μg/mL。该检测方法具有简单易操作的优点。     

Determination of norfloxacin or ciprofloxacin by carbon dots fluorescence enhancement using magnetic nanoparticles as adsorbent

The authors describe a method for the determination of norfloxacin (NOR) or ciprofloxacin (CIP). It is making use of a combination of fluorescence enhancement and magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE). Sulfur-doped carbon dots (S-CDs) are used as a fluorescent probe. They were prepared by a one-pot method using poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) (PSMA) as a source for carbon and sulfur. NOR or CIP act as sensitizers of fluorescence (with excitation/emission maxima at 324/412 nm), probably due to strong hydrogen bond interaction and charge transfer with the S-CDs. The S-CDs were characterized by using TEM, XRD, XPS, FT-IR, UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopies. Response is linear in the 0.02–1.25 μM NOR concentration range, and the detection limit is 4.6 nM. The respective data for CIP are 0.02–1.0 μM and 6.7 nM. The average recoveries of NOR and CIP residues from spiked bovine raw milk are 96.2%~105.2% and 92.3%~102.5%.

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Graphical abstract Sulfur doped carbon dots (S-CDs) were synthesized by a hydrothermal method using poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) (PSMA). Norfloxacin (NOR) or ciprofloxacin (CIP) was extracted by magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), they were detected by carbon dots fluorescence enhancement.

     

Ultrafine biocompatible chitosan nanoparticles encapsulating multi-coloured quantum dots for bioapplications

Owing to their excellent optical properties, luminescent semi-conductor quantum dots (QDs) have proven themselves to be an attractive choice in biological labeling. However, there exists the concern of cytotoxicity in using these heavy metal-based nanoparticles as molecular probes. In order to improve their general biocompatibility, CdSe/ZnS QDS are encapsulated in the natural biopolymer chitosan, forming monodisperse chitosan nanoparticles in the range of 60 nm in 1 single step. This straight forward method also allows for the synthesis of chitosan nanoparticles encapsulating multi-coloured QDs. In vitro 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cytotoxicity tests on primary myoblast cells suggest that the cytotoxicity of the QDs is greatly reduced after chitosan encapsulation. At the same time, fluorescence confocal microscopy studies also prove that nanoparticles are small enough to be internalized into the myoblast cells. Our results show the ease of synthesizing biocompatible, nanometer-sized chitosan nanoparticles encapsulating QDs and their promise in biological applications such as ultra-sensitive bio-detection and labeling of biomolecules.     

荧光碳点的合成、性质和应用

与传统半导体发光材料相比,荧光碳点作为一种新型的碳纳米发光材料,因其优异的生物相容性、良好的发光性能、简单的合成工艺、低廉的成本等优点而备受关注。荧光碳点在生物荧光标定、医学传感器、光诊疗剂以及发光器件等方面具有广阔的应用潜力。本文重点阐述了荧光碳点的合成方法、显微结构分析、荧光机理及应用的最新成果,希望为荧光碳点合成与应用研究的发展提供参考。     

Synthesis and bioimaging application of red-emissive carbon dots

Fluorescent red-emissive carbon dots (RCDs) were synthesized using the solvothermal method with citric acid as a carbon source, N,N-dimethylformamide as a nitrogen source, and formamide as a solvent. The as-synthesized RCDs show red fluorescence in an aqueous solution and have an excellent stability towards photobleaching as well as extremely low cytotoxicity and are successfully used for cell and zebrafish imaging. The results indicate that RCDs have potential applications in both in vitro and in vivo bioimaging.     

Fluorescence Intensity Enhancement of Green Carbon Dots: Synthesis,Characterization and Cell Imaging

The hydrothermal treatment of green carbon dots (CDs) is an appropriate fluorescent probe synthesis method. CDs are exploited as biological staining agents, especially for cellular detection and imaging. The nitrogen-doped green carbon dots (N-CDs) formation can improve the fluorescence intensity property in a one-step process. Here, we report two N-CDs from lemon and tomato extraction in the presence of hydroxylamine. Lemon and tomato N-CDs showed the blue fluorescence under ultraviolet radiation of about 360 nm. The characterization of CDs and N-CDs showed the presence of N-H and C–N bonds which enhanced the fluorescence efficiency. The mean size of lemon and tomato N-CDs were about 2 and 3 nm with an increased quantum yield (QY) of 5% and 3.38%, respectively. The CDs and N-CDs cytotoxicity assay exhibited high cell viability approximately 85% and 73%, respectively. N-CDs show superior fluorescent intensity in different solvents and significant stability under long-time UV irradiation, different PH and high ionic strength. Our results indicated that the use of N-CDs in cell imaging can lead to fluorescence intensity enhancement as well as proper biocompatibility. Therefore, the safe and high fluorescence intensity of green N-CDs can be utilized for fluorescent probes in biolabeling and bioimaging applications.     

氟化修饰显著提高碳点的抗菌活性

本文采用支化聚乙烯亚胺和乙醇制备阳离子碳点,并在其表面接枝含氟烷基链,得到一种氟化修饰的碳点材料,其对革兰氏阳性菌金黄色葡萄球菌以及革兰氏阴性菌大肠杆菌和绿脓杆菌都表现出了优异的抗菌活性,而对哺乳动物细胞具有较低的毒性。通过构效关系研究发现,氟化修饰对于碳点的抗菌活性至关重要,将含氟烷基链替换成烷烃基链会极大削弱碳点的抗菌性能。本文的结果为阳离子抗菌材料的设计提供了新的思路。     

量子点在生物检测中的应用

过去十几年里,量子点从材料科学到生命科学、从基础研究到实际应用都开展了广泛的研究。 量子点在生物成像、光治疗、药物/基因转运、太阳能电池等领域均具有广泛的应用。 通过调节量子点的表面性质,实现量子点与细胞相互作用的可控性是一个关键的问题。 伴随着量子点潜在毒性问题的产生,纳米毒性成为纳米材料安全性评估的重要指标,并且受到科学家们的高度关注。 本文综述了量子点的特性、细胞生物学应用及在生物医药领域相关的细胞毒性研究,并展望了量子点的未来发展趋势。     

Synthesis of Ultra‐Stable Fluorescent Carbon Dots from Polyvinylpyrrolidone and Their Application in the Detection of Hydroxyl Radicals

Highly biocompatible and highly photostable fluorescent carbon dots (C dots) were obtained through a simple and nontoxic one‐pot hydrothermal method. Polyvinylpyrrolidone, a common and low‐cost biocompatibility reagent, was used as the only carbon source for the first time. The resulting water‐soluble C dots showed a quantum yield of up to 23.58 % with low cytotoxicity, favorable photoluminescent properties, and good photostability. Importantly, the fluorescence intensities of the C dots were quite stable in high‐salt conditions and over a broad pH range (3.0–10.5). The as‐prepared C dots have been demonstrated to be an excellent probe for hydroxyl radicals sensing based on the fluorescence quenching with great sensitivity and specificity. This opens up a new application field for C dots.     

Carbon Dots as a New Class of Diamagnetic Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (diaCEST) MRI Contrast Agents

While carbon dots (C‐dots) have been extensively investigated pertaining to their fluorescent, phosphorescent, electrochemiluminescent, optoelectronic, and catalytic features, their inherent chemical exchange saturation transfer magnetic resonance imaging (CEST MRI) properties are unknown. By virtue of their hydrophilicity and abundant exchangeable protons of hydroxyl, amine, and amide anchored on the surface, we report here that C‐dots can be adapted as effective diamagnetic CEST (diaCEST) MRI contrast agents. As a proof‐of‐concept demonstration, human glioma cells were labeled with liposomes with or without encapsulated C‐dots and implanted in mouse brain. In vivo CEST MRI was able to clearly differentiate labeled cells from non‐labeled cells. The present findings may encourage new applications of C‐dots for in vivo imaging in deep tissues, which is currently not possible using conventional fluorescent (near‐infrared) C‐dots.     

Luminescent Carbon Dots from Wet Olive Pomace: Structural Insights,Photophysical Properties and Cytotoxicity

Carbon nanomaterials endowed with significant luminescence have been synthesized for the first time from an abundant, highly localized waste, the wet pomace (WP), a semi-solid by-product of industrial olive oil production. Synthetic efforts were undertaken to outshine the photoluminescence (PL) of carbon nanoparticles through a systematic search of the best reaction conditions to convert the waste biomass, mainly consisting in holocellulose, lignin and proteins, into carbon dots (CDs) by hydrothermal carbonization processes. Blue-emitting CDs with high fluorescence quantum yields were obtained. Using a comprehensive set of spectroscopic tools (FTIR, Raman, XPS, and ¹H/¹³C NMR) in combination with steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, a rational depiction of WP-CDs structures and their PL properties was reached. WP-CDs show the up-conversion of PL capabilities and negligible cytotoxicity against two mammalian cell lines (L929 and HeLa). Both properties are excellent indicators for their prospective application in biological imaging, biosensing, and dynamic therapies driven by light.     

Comparative study for N and S doped carbon dots: Synthesis,characterization and applications for Fe probe and cellular imaging

A facile and eco-friendly approach to prepare nitrogen(N)- and sulfur(S)-doped carbon dots (CDs) by one step microwave-assisted pyrolysis of the precursors with dl-malic acid as carbon source, ethanolamine and ethane-sulfonic acid as N and S dopants, respectively, was reported. Through the extensive investigation on morphology, chemical structures and optical properties of the carbon dots, it was found that the obtained CDs exhibited good luminescence stability, high resistance to photo bleaching and favorite solubility. Compared with undoped CDs, adding the N or S dopant could give rise to a slightly smaller particle size and a long fluorescence lifetime of CDs. Moreover, the optimal N-CDs was successfully employed as good multicolor cell imaging probes due to its fine dispersion in water, excitation-dependent emission, excellent biocompatibility and low toxicity. Besides, such N-CDs showed a wide detection range and excellent accuracy as fluorescent probe for Fe³⁺ ions. This probe enabled the selective detection of Fe³⁺ ions with a linear range of 6.0–200 μM and a limit of detection of 0.80 μM.