Dr Sofia Dominguez Gil presented our research on the "Environmentally friendly synthesis of Carbon Dots for cancer therapy" at the 7th BenBedPhar Scientific Meeting in Tallinn
![Dr Sofia Dominguez Gil presented our research on the "Environmentally friendly synthesis of Carbon Dots for cancer therapy" at the 7th BenBedPhar Scientific Meeting in Tallinn](/post/7th-benbedphar-meeting/featured_hu547fc42edf3abec4e4277e31a25a7a25_332632_720x2500_fit_q75_h2_lanczos.webp)
Environmentally Friendly Synthesis of Carbon Dots for Cancer Therapy
Carbon dots, also known as carbon quantum dots or fluorescent carbon nanoparticles, are small-sized, spherical nanomaterials (below 10 nm) presenting amorphous carbon cores (mixed of sp2/sp3) with nanocrystalline regions of graphitic structure (sp2 carbon) [1]. They show unique properties such as higher aqueous solubility, robust chemical inertness, non-toxicity, and relatively low-cost manufacturing [2]. However, the efficient resistance to photobleaching and outstanding fluorescence are the most remarkable features compared to more conventional luminescent materials [3].
Here, we present a low-cost and environmentally friendly synthesis of carbon dots using natural resources like coffee grounds. The proposed synthetic route eliminates the use of highly toxic heavy metals and high energy-consuming reaction times, improving biocompatibility and benefiting the environment. These carbon dots were fully characterized by different techniques, showing small-size nanoparticles with tunable fluorescence. Biocompatibility studies on CAL-51 and SKOV-3 cell lines were also conducted showing good viability in both cellular lines. Furthermore, their surface functionalization makes them suitable for a wide range of applications in nanomedicine [4] such as drug delivery shuttles, biosensors, or bioimaging [5].
References
[1] Szczepankowska, J.; Khachatryan, G.; Khachatryan, K.; Krystyjan, M. Carbon Dots - Types, Obtaining and Application in Biotechnology and Food Technology. Int J Mol Sci 2023, 24 (19).
[2] Kurian, M.; Paul, A. Recent Trends in the Use of Green Sources for Carbon Dot Synthesis–A Short Review. Carbon Trends 2021, 3, 100032.
[3] Cui, L.; Ren, X.; Sun, M.; Liu, H.; Xia, L. Carbon Dots: Synthesis, Properties and Applications. Nanomaterials 2021, 11 (12).
[4] Behi, M.; Gholami, L.; Naficy, S.; Palomba, S.; Dehghani, F. Carbon Dots: A Novel Platform for Biomedical Applications. Nanoscale Adv. 2022, 4 (2), 353–376.
[5] Bartkowski, M.; Zhou, Y.; Nabil Amin Mustafa, M.; Eustace, A. J.; Giordani, S. CARBON DOTS: Bioimaging and Anticancer Drug Delivery. Chemistry – A European Journal 2024, 11:e202303982.
Abstract - Link
Book of Abstracts - Link
7th BenBedPhar Scientific meeting - Link