Natural occurrence of fluorescent carbon dots in honey

The proliferation of engineered nanoscale architectures possessing unique chemical and physical properties has implications for potential applications and versatility. Identifying these functional materials in naturally occurring systems has environmental relevance leading to the design and manufacture of more sustainable and environmentally benign nanomaterials. Herein, we report the natural occurrence of fluorescent carbon dots in honey, a sweet nutrient made by bees foraging nectars from flowers and traditionally known for its medicinal values. The ubiquitous presence of these carbon nanodots in honey not only adds evidence to the potential of nature's handiwork towards nanoscale materials, but also unveils the astounding possibility of exploitation of natural substances for functional applications. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.