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Multifunctional fluorescent carbon quantum dots for Zr4+ ion detection, pH response and cell imaging

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Abstract

In this paper, novel multifunctional nitrogen and sulfur co-doped fluorescent carbon quantum dots (Y-CDs) were prepared by a solvothermal method using o-phenylenediamine (OPD) as the carbon and nitrogen sources, L-Cysteine (L-Cys) as the sulfur source, and ethanol as the solvent. The prepared Y-CDs had high selectivity for the detection of Zirconium (Zr4+) with a detection limit of 68 nM due to the doping of S elements which formed electrical interactions with Zr4+ and thus caused aggregation fluorescence quenching. In addition, Y-CDs had excellent pH reversible response properties. The fluorescence of Y-CDs was almost completely quenched in the pH range of 1–5, and was restored when the pH returned to neutral or basic. Y-CDs also had good biocompatibility and low toxicity with the application of clear yellow fluorescence imaging in MCF-7 and EC cells. Yellow fluorescence Y-CDs focused mainly on the nucleus in MCF-7 cancer cells, while focused mainly on the cell membrane region in EC normal cells due to the different pH conditions of these two cells. The prepared Y-CDs would have promising applications in the fields of Zr4+ ion detection, pH response and cell imaging and cell identification.

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All data generated in this paper will be obtained from corresponding authors according to reasonable requirements.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51603187) and the cooperative project funding of Zhejiang Sci-Tech University with Hangzhou Mingshi Culture Dissemination co., LTD (“Application of strong fluorescence graphene quantum dots in heavy metal ion detection and cell imaging”, No. 2022330001004838, Internal No.22060862-J).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Optical Field Manipulation of Zhejiang Province, Department of Physics, Zhejiang Sci- Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaokun Liao, Xingjian Lu, Hao Zou, Jun Cao, Jiaqi Pan, Chaorong Li & Yingying Zheng

  2. Zhejiang Sci-Tech University Hospital, Hangzhou, 310018, People’s Republic of China

    Li Zhou

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  1. Xiaokun Liao
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  2. Li Zhou
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  7. Chaorong Li
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Contributions

YZ: directed the whole experiment and led the manuscript revision. XL: completed most of the experiments, data analysis, and manuscript writing. LZ, XL and HZ participated in some experiments. JC, JP and CL: provided partial experimental comments. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Yingying Zheng.

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Liao, X., Zhou, L., Lu, X. et al. Multifunctional fluorescent carbon quantum dots for Zr4+ ion detection, pH response and cell imaging. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 34, 1205 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-023-10567-8

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