UV-Induced Nanoparticles-Formation, Properties and Their Potential Role in Origin of Life

Abstract

Inorganic nanoparticles might have played a vital role in the transition from inorganic chemistry to self-sustaining living systems. Such transition may have been triggered or controlled by processes requiring not only versatile catalysts but also suitable reaction surfaces. Here, experimental results showing that multicolor quantum dots might have been able to participate as catalysts in several specific and nonspecific reactions, relevant to the prebiotic chemistry are demonstrated. A very fast and easy UV-induced formation of ZnCd quantum dots (QDs) with a quantum yield of up to 47% was shown to occur 5 min after UV exposure of the solution containing Zn(II) and Cd(II) in the presence of a thiol capping agent. In addition to QDs formation, xanthine activity was observed in the solution. The role of solar radiation to induce ZnCd QDs formation was replicated during a stratospheric balloon flight.

UV-induced Zn:Cd/S quantum dots in-situ formed in the presence of thiols for sensitive and selective fluorescence detection of thiols

“…As demonstrated in our previous study, UV light irradiation of the mixture of metal ions in presence of thiols led to formation of fluorescent nanoparticles 25 . This approach was exploited in this study taking advantage from the linear correlation between amount of thiol and fluorescence intensity of resulting fluorescent nanoparticles (i.e.…”

“…It is important to stress that this first-ever reported principle of detection of thiols rests in a unique in-situ UV light-induced formation of fluorescent QD nanoparticles developed in this research group 25 , 27 , and therefore is to a large degree an area with existing expertise. Similarly, polydopamine MIPs is also an area where our group has been active, and the materials were evaluated and characterized in our previous works 28 .…”

“…Next, the sample solution was discarded and the polymer layer was washed with 20 µL of water. The second step involved in-situ formation of fluorescent probes (ZnCd/S QDs) according to our previous work 25 . Briefly, 50 µL of mixture of precursors (zinc acetate (0.53 mM) and cadmium acetate (0.082 mM) prepared in phosphate buffer (100 mM, pH 7.0)) was added to the MIP/NIP after sample loading.…”

Ariel – a window to the origin of life on early earth?

“…The environment on early Earth might have supported synthetic cycles based on the metal ions Zn(II), Cd(II) and thiols, and driven by UV radiation. The resulting nanoparticles were able to mimic the enzyme xanthine oxidase function [93]. This chemistry might have been typical, for example, in hydrothermal vents in impact structures on the early Earth.…”

ELEGANT, RAPID AND SIMPLE PROCEDURE FOR LABELING OF ANTIBODIES WITH FLUORESCENT ZnCd/S QUANTUM DOTS FOR LASER ABLATION ICP-MS DETECTION

“…Therefore, these parameters were evaluated. UV irradiation time had an important effect on the preparation ZnCd/S quantum dots [9] which is illustrated in Figure 1 (A), the maximum fluorescent intensity was achieved at 442 nm under 382 nm excitation. The composition of ZnCd/S quantum dots for obtaining higher fluorescent intensity was mainly dependent on the initial concentration of Zn, Cd, and the intrinsic reactivity of Zn and Cd toward S [10].…”