Aflatoxin B1 Acts as an Effective Energy Donor to Enhance Fluorescence of Yellow Emissive Carbon Dots

Abstract

Carbon dots (CDs) are versatile fluorescent nanocrystals with unique optical and structural properties and are commonly used in biosensing, bioimaging, and biomolecule tagging studies. However, fluorescence of CDs is brightest in the wavelength range of 430–530 nm, which overlaps with the autofluorescence range of many eukaryotic cells and makes CDs impractical for in vivo and in vitro imaging studies. Thus, the design of yellow-red emissive CDs with high quantum yield is of importance. In this study, the quantum yield of traditional yellow emissive CDs was enhanced by two different methods: (1) the surface of traditional yellow emissive CDs passivated with a biomolecule, urea, through easy, rapid, inexpensive microwave assisted synthesis methods and (2) a fluorescent biomolecule, aflatoxin B1, used as an energy donor for yellow emissive CDs. In the first method, the quantum yield of the CDs was enhanced to 51%. In the second method, an efficient energy transfer (above 40%) from aflatoxin B1 to the CDs was observed. Our study showed that highly luminescent yellow emissive CDs can be synthesized by simple, rapid microwave assisted synthesis methods, and these CDs are potential candidates to sense aflatoxin B1. Furthermore, our results indicated that Aflatoxin B1 can be considered as an emission booster for CDs.

Ultraprecise control over the photophysical properties of novel amino acid functionalized CdTeS quantum dots and their effect on the emission of yellow-emissive carbon dots

“…The red-emissive water-soluble CdTeS quantum dots were used to interact with yellow-emissive carbon dots (PhDOTs). Carbon dots were synthesized through a general microwave-based method proposed by Ergüder et al 34 Before checking the CdTeS QD–PhDOTs interaction, the interaction between PhDOTs and l -Cys/NAC was checked (Fig. 10).…”

“…A traditional microwave-assisted method was applied to synthesize carbon dots from 1,2-phenylenediamine. 34 Briefly, to synthesize carbon dots (PhDOTs), 400 mg o -phenylenediamine (carbon precursor) was dissolved in 20 mL ultrapure water. Then, the homogeneous solution was placed into a kitchen-type microwave oven (SAMSUNG/model no.…”

Improved citric acid-derived carbon dots synthesis through microwave-based heating in a hydrothermal pressure vessel

“…More recently, Ergüder, et al , have reported a simple, rapid CDs synthesis method via the MW using o -phenylenediamine and urea. 22 Their synthesis was also conducted in a glass vessel but with a reaction time of 20 minutes at 800 MW and resulted in CDs with a yellow emission capable of sensing the chemical aflatoxin B1 in solution. A study by Liu, et al , reports an optimized method for synthesizing CDs with wavelength-tunable emission via MW irradiation through adjustment of the quantity of precursors.…”