title: Facile synthesis of water-soluble and biocompatible fluorescent nitrogen-doped carbon dots for cell imaging.
abstract: A simple, facile and green hydrothermal method was developed in the synthesis of water-soluble nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) from streptomycin. The as-prepared N-CDs displayed bright blue fluorescence under the irradiation of UV light, together with a high quantum yield of 7.6% and good biocompatibility as demonstrated by the cell viability assay. Thus, the N-CDs can be used as fluorescent probes for cell imaging, which have potential applications in bioimaging and related fields. This strategy opens a new way for the preparation of fluorescent carbon nanomaterials using small molecules as carbon sources.
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry and Life Science, College of Geography and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China. jjfeng@zjnu.cn ajwangnju@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Weiping
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ya-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jiu-Ju
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Jian-Rong
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ai-Jun
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004355:Drug Stability; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D010316:Particle Size; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D012995:Solubility; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D014867:Water; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen; D013307:Streptomycin