Green synthesis of carbon quantum dots using quince fruit (Cydonia oblonga) powder as carbon precursor: Application in cell imaging and As3+ determination

doi:10.1016/j.colsurfa.2018.04.006

Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects

Volume 549, 20 July 2018, Pages 58-66

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2018.04.006 Get rights and content

Abstract

High stable and luminescent multicolor carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were prepared using quince fruit (Cydonia oblonga) powder as carbon precursors in one pot via microwave irradiation. The Taguchi orthogonal array using four factors at three levels was applied to obtain CQDs with high photoluminescent intensity. Taguchi ranking results revealed that temperature and microwave power has the most and the least effect on the CQDs photoluminescence intensities, respectively. Prepared CQDs were characterized using different microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The results reveal that average size of the prepared particles was 4.85 ± 0.07 nm. The CQDs have maximum emission intensity at 450 nm if excited at 350 nm with a quantum yield of 8.55%. CQDs prepared via microwave in 30 min were compared with those synthesized hydrothermally in a Teflon-linen stainless steel body autoclave at 200 °C. High performance liquid chromatographic / photodiode array detector evaluation of the CQDs reveals different surface functionality for the carbon dots. Fe³⁺ among cations and MnO₄⁻ among the anions, strongly extinguish the photoluminescence at 450 nm. Oxidation of As³⁺ by MnO₄⁻ became the basis for arsenic assay in aqueous solutions. Addition of As³⁺ to MnO₄⁻ before mixing with CQDs, compare to permanganate alone, increases the photoluminescence. This increase has a linear relation with As³⁺ concentration, in the range of 0.1–2 μg mL⁻¹. Finally, it revealed that the CQDs are not cytotoxic for HT-29 cell line and it is possible to use them in cell imaging and drug delivery.

Graphical abstract

Section snippets

Introductions

There has been an increasing interest in carbon quantum dots (CQDs) as a new class of carbon nanoparticles since its accidental discovery in 2004. This interest is attributed to its high water solubility, biocompatibility due to their nanometer dimension and low toxicity, and specific physical and chemical properties [1]. By surface modification of CQDs, they successfully used as chemical and biological sensing devices [[2], [3], [4], [5]], drug delivery vehicles for the combination of medical

Materials and methods

Silver nitrate, potassium dichromate, potassium permanganate, sodium oxalate, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, phosphate salts, citric acid, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, ferrous chloride, and standard solution (1000 μg mL⁻¹) of other cations were all purchased from Merck (Darmaschtat, Germany). HPLC grade Methanol (MeOH) and acetonitrile (ACN) were acquired from Merck (Darmaschtat, Germany). Fetal bovine serum (FBS) and Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) 1640 medium were

Taguchi optimization

Optimization of the synthesis process is usually performed to improve quality of the products with the minimum amount of starting material and higher speed [26]. Here, Taguchi orthogonal array that is usually used in quality control is selected to optimize the parameters and identify the most important factors in microwave synthesis of CQDs from quince fruit. Table S1 and Fig. S1 (ESI) identified that 0.1 g of the powder is enough for CQDs synthesis under microwave irradiation with the program

Conclusion

It was concluded that temperature is the main factor in the synthesis of CQDs using quince fruit powder as a candidate for natural carbon precursor. The synthetic protocol is green and fast. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that the surface state is studied by HPLC/PDA. HPLC evaluations, as well as optical properties, showed that the method of CQDs preparations effect on the final particles surfaces functional groups. Microwave irradiations produce well-dispersed fine dots.

Acknowledgments

Financial support of research deputy of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences under grant number GP95089 is acknowledged. We thank Miss Handali and Miss Kiani for their help in cellular uptake experiments. This paper is extracted from Miss Qorbanpour Pharm D dissertation.

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Green synthesis of carbon quantum dots using quince fruit (Cydonia oblonga) powder as carbon precursor: Application in cell imaging and As3+ determination

Abstract

Graphical abstract

Section snippets

Introductions

Materials and methods

Taguchi optimization

Conclusion

Acknowledgments

Mater. Today

Biosens. Bioelectron.

J. Lumin.

Sens. Actuators B: Chem.

Talanta

Mater. Today Chem.

Talanta

Spectrochim. Acta - Part. A: Mol. Biomol. Spectros.

Mater. Chem. Phys.

Eur. J. Pharm. Sci.

Colloids and S. A: Physicochemical and Eng. Aspects

Chin. J. Anal. Chem.

Carbohydr. Res.

Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta

J. Environ. Sci.

Water Res.

A glassy carbon electrode modified with C-dots and silver nanoparticles for enzymatic electrochemiluminescent detection of glutamate enantiomers

Microchim. Acta.

Turn-on fluorometric and colorimetric probe for hydrogen peroxide based on the in-situ formation of silver ions from a composite made from N-doped carbon quantum dots and silver nanoparticles

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Green synthesis of carbon quantum dots using quince fruit (Cydonia oblonga) powder as carbon precursor: Application in cell imaging and As³⁺ determination