Heteroatom doped photoluminescent carbon dots for sensitive detection of acetone in human fluids

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical Chemical, 2018-08, Vol.266, p.583-593
• Main Authors: Das, Poushali, Ganguly, Sayan, Mondal, Subhadip, Bose, Madhuparna, Das, Amit Kumar, Banerjee, Susanta, Das, Narayan Chandra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetone; Biological properties; Body fluids; Carbon; Carbon dots; Commercialization; Fluorescence; Human fluids; Luminescence; Nitrogen; Photoluminescence; Sensing; Sulfur; Urine
• ISSN: 0925-4005; 1873-3077
• DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2018.03.183

[Display omitted] •Facile synthesis of green luminescent nitrogen and sulphur co-doped carbon dots (NSC-dots) with high quantum yield.•Application of NSC-dots for acetone sensing in human fluids (blood and urine).•NSC-dots as nano-probe for fluorescent labeling of MG-63 cells. Fluorescent nanoprobe has been judiciously tailored after incorporation of nitrogen and sulphur in carbon dots. The synergistic occurrence of sulphur and nitrogen affords outstanding luminescence property and provides recognition sites for specific and selective sensing of acetone (ketone) with an ultra-low limit of detection (7.2 × 10−7 M). This nano probe was successfully endorsed with real biological samples such as human blood and urine. The prepared carbon dots possess very high quantum yield (69.27%), excellent water dispersibility, non-toxic and ultrahigh photostability. Herein, we demonstrate an innovative perspective on the commercialization of carbon dots as a potential substitute to expensive kit for the detection of ketone bodies in human fluids.