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Natural Biowaste Derived Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots: Synthesis, Characterization and Biocompatibility Study

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Abstract

In this present study, a straightforward and affordable method for the environmentally safe synthesis of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) by employing human hair as the carbon source without any need of chemicals was synthesized. CQDs obtained from human hair was further functionalized with Poly-L-Lysine to form PLLCQDs. The synthesized PLLCQDs was demonstrated numerous advantageous characteristics like strong fluorescence intensity, superior photostability, and outstanding water solubility. Various physicochemical characterization was employed to confirm successful formation of PLLCQDs including UV-vis Spectroscopy, Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The size of synthesized PLLCQDs is 3 nm. The resultant PLLCQDs exhibited strong blue emission with a quantum yield of 28%. Under UV light, the synthesized PLLCQDs emit blue (at 365nm) fluorescence. The optimization of synthesis parameters including synthesis method, effect of reaction temperature, effect of reaction time and effect of reaction concentration have a significant impact on the quality and quantity of synthesized PLLCQDs, as well as their properties and applications. The effect of pH and UV radiation on synthesized PLLCQDs exhibited excellent photo and chemical stability. The cytotoxicity of bulk system (Hair precursor) and PLLCQDs was evaluated using fibroblast cell line (L929). The cell viabilities of 99.47% was obtained from L929 cells using MTT assay and it can applicably function as agents for cell labelling as a good bioimaging probe.

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Data Availability

The dataset generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

CQDs:

Carbon quantum dots

PLL:

Poly-L-Lysine

FTIR:

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

TEM:

Transmission electron microscopy

MTT:

3-(4,5-dimethylthioazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide

DMEM:

Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium

L929:

Fibroblast cell line (Non cancer cell line)

NCCS:

National Centre for Cell Science

PBS:

Phosphate Buffer Saline

UPCL:

Up-conversion Photoluminescence

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Acknowledgments

The work acknowledges Intramural University project, entitled “Targeted Destruction of cancer stem cell by surface functionalized magnetic nanoparticles’’(Project No. DYPES & D/2021/274), D. Y. Patil education society, Kolhapur. The authors also acknowledge the funding support from Mylab discovery solution pvt. ltd., Pune.

Funding

This work was supported D. Y. Patil Education Society, (Deemed to be University), Kolhapur for providing required infrastructure, experimental facility and the financial support through intramural project (No. DYPES/DU/R&D/2021/274). The authors also acknowledge the funding support from Mylab discovery solution pvt. ltd., Pune.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Biotechnology and Stem cell and Regenerative Medicine, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, D. Y. Patil Education Society (Deemed to be university), Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India

    Pranoti Kamble & Arpita Pandey Tiwari

  2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Optoelectronic Convergence Research Centre, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 61186, South Korea

    Dhanaji Malavekar

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  1. Pranoti Kamble
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Contributions

Ms. Pranoti Kamble has performed the experiments, contributed to the design of the study, and wrote the manuscript. Dr. Dhanaji Malavekar has contributed in TEM analysis. Dr. Arpita Pandey Tiwari contributed to the design of the study, wrote the manuscript, and provided funding support. All authors read and approved the submission of the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Arpita Pandey Tiwari.

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Kamble, P., Malavekar, D. & Tiwari, A.P. Natural Biowaste Derived Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots: Synthesis, Characterization and Biocompatibility Study. J Fluoresc 34, 191–201 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-023-03244-w

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