Synthesis of luminescent chitosan-based carbon dots for Candida albicans bioimaging

In this work, we used chitosan as a raw material to synthesize carbon dots using fast microwave carbonization. We studied the influence of the synthesis time, doping agent, and the molar ratio between the reactants on the quantum yield of carbon dots. Chitosan-based carbon dots displayed stable blue fluorescence emission with excitation-dependent behavior and quantum yield values ranging from 1.16 to 7.07 %. ANOVA results showed that the interaction factor between the doping agent and the molar ratio of the reactants was a significant combination to produce carbon dots with higher quantum yield. The presence of the doping agent improved the carbon dots optical properties by obtaining higher fluorescence intensity values. Confocal laser microscope images showed that the carbon dots internalized in the Candida albicans cellular membrane, exhibiting blue, green, and red emissions, acting as a promising agent for bioimaging.

Automated summary

In this work, chitosan was used as a raw material to synthesize carbon dots through fast microwave carbonization. The synthesis time, doping agent, and molar ratio of reactants were investigated for their influence on the quantum yield of carbon dots. Chitosan-based carbon dots exhibited stable blue fluorescence emission with excitation-dependent behavior and quantum yield values ranging from 1.16 to 7.07%. ANOVA results indicated that the interaction factor between the doping agent and molar ratio of reactants was a significant combination for producing carbon dots with higher quantum yield. The presence of the doping agent improved the optical properties of carbon dots by enhancing fluorescence intensity. Confocal laser microscope images showed that the carbon dots internalized in the Candida albicans cellular membrane, displaying blue, green, and red emissions, which showed promise for bioimaging.