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Fluorescent Carbon Dots: Aggregation-Induced Emission Enhancement, Application as Probe for CN− and Cr2O7−2, Sensing Strips and Bio-imaging Agent

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Abstract

Fluorescent carbon dots (Trp-CDs) were prepared using tryptophan as precursor and were characterized on the basis of elemental analysis, powder-XRD, IR, Raman spectroscopy, 13C-NMR, UV–Vis, fluorescence and TEM. Trp-CDs exhibit poor fluorescence in 100% water but showed strong Aggregation Induced Emission (AIE) in ethanol and higher alcohols. The anion sensing study of Trp-CD revealed that it selectively detects CN− and Cr2O7−2 and from fluorescence quenching titration study, quenching constant, LOD and range of detection were evaluated. The emission life-time of Trp-CD before and after addition of CN− and Cr2O7−2 were measured, the decay curve before addition of anion was best fitted with a bi-exponential function with life-time of τ1 2.79 ns (10.74%) and τ2 18.93 ns (89.26%). The mechanistic study revealed that for CN−, the fluorescence quenching is due to its interaction with protons attached to surface functional groups and for Cr2O7−2, it is due to inner filter effect (IFE). Sensing strips were prepared by coating Trp-CDs onto various solid surfaces including agarose films and were used for detection of CN− and Cr2O7−. Trp-CD was found to be nontoxic and biocompatible and used as staining agent for Artemia and Bacteria (Bacillus Subtilis, Pseudomonas) and detection of CN− and Cr2O7−.

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Acknowledgements

CSIR-CSMCRI Registration No. is 217/2021. P. P. Gratefully acknowledges CSIR for the financial support in the form of CSIR-Emeritus Scientist Scheme (CSIR-ES Scheme No. 21(1046)/18/EMR-II). S. Bhatt (CSIR Award No.: 31/28(0240)/2018-EMR-I) and G. Vyas (CSIR- Award No.: 31/28(0238)/2018-EMR-I) acknowledge CSIR for awarding the Senior Research Fellowship. A. Kumar (Award No. 19-06/2011(i)EU-IV) gratefully acknowledges UGC for awarding the Research Fellowship (JRF and SRF). All the authors acknowledge CSIR-CSMCRI for providing research facilities and partial research expense related to this work. We thank Dr. G. R. Bhadu, for recording TEM and Laiya Riddhi P. for XRD, V. Agrawal for recording IR spectra, V. Bakani for elemental analysis and Raman spectra. We thank AESD&CIF for additional analytical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Analytical and Environmental Science Division & Centralized Instrument Facility, CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, G. B. Marg, Bhavnagar, 364002, India

    Madhuri Bhatt, Shreya Bhatt, Gaurav Vyas, Ishan Raval, Anshu Kumar & Parimal Paul

  2. Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India

    Madhuri Bhatt, Shreya Bhatt, Gaurav Vyas, Anshu Kumar & Parimal Paul

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  1. Madhuri Bhatt
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Contributions

M.B. Conceptualization of work, methodology and wrote draft of the manuscript. S.B. Data curation and formal analysis. G.V. Data analysis and validation. I.R. Toxicity study, imaging and prepared Figures 11 and 12. A.K. Application study with sensing strips. P.P. Conceptualization, funding acquisition, supervision and writing – review and editing of manuscript.

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Correspondence to Parimal Paul.

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Bhatt, M., Bhatt, S., Vyas, G. et al. Fluorescent Carbon Dots: Aggregation-Induced Emission Enhancement, Application as Probe for CN− and Cr2O7−2, Sensing Strips and Bio-imaging Agent. J Fluoresc (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-024-03602-2

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