FACILE APPROACH FOR GREEN SYNTHESIS OF FLUORESCENT CARBON DOTS FROM MANIHOT ESCULENTA AND THEIR POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS AS SENSOR AND BIO-IMAGING AGENTS

Abstract

An eco-friendly approach for the synthesis of blue fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) using Manihot esculenta with an average size of 3–5 nm through hydrothermal method has been reported. Functionality of the prepared CDs was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy. Structural and morphological characterisation were carried with XRD and TEM techniques, these studies exposed amorphous nature of carbons dots with spherical shape. Optical properties of CDs were examined using UV–Visible and Photoluminescence spectral techniques. Owing to strong blue fluorescence, CDs were evaluated for its ability to sense various heavy metal ions. Attributable to significant response towards Fe3+ ions among different metal ions tested (Al3+, Cu+, Co2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, Fe3+, Ca2+, Hg2+ and Mg2+), CDs were used as a selective fluorescence probe for detection of Fe3+. The bioimaging and cytotoxicity aspects of CDs on MDA MB-231 breast cancer cell lines were confirmed by localised experiments. The synthesised CDs were found to be non-toxic even at their high concentration of 500 µg/mL.