Sustainable preparation of luminescent carbon dots from syringe waste and hyaluronic acid for cellular imaging and antimicrobial applications

Senthilkumar Nangan; Kuppusamy Kanagaraj; Gurumoorthy Kaarthikeyan; Anuj Kumar; Mohd Ubaidullah; Bidhan Pandit; Rajakumar Govindasamy; Thirumalaivasan Natesan

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2023.116990

Sustainable preparation of luminescent carbon dots from syringe waste and hyaluronic acid for cellular imaging and antimicrobial applications

Environ Res. 2023 Nov 15;237(Pt 2):116990. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116990. Epub 2023 Aug 26.

Authors

Senthilkumar Nangan¹, Kuppusamy Kanagaraj², Gurumoorthy Kaarthikeyan³, Anuj Kumar⁴, Mohd Ubaidullah⁵, Bidhan Pandit⁶, Rajakumar Govindasamy⁷, Thirumalaivasan Natesan⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Bell Road, Clement Town, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 248002, India.
² Center for Supramolecular Chemistry & Catalysis and Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China.
³ Department of Periodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai 600077, Tamil Nadu, India.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, GLA University, Mathura, 281406, India.
⁵ Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Chemical Engineering, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Avenida de la Universidad 30, 28911, Leganés, Madrid, Spain.
⁷ Department of Orthodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Science (SIMATS), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, 600077, India.
⁸ Department of Periodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai 600077, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: natesant.sdc@saveetha.com.

PMID: 37640096
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116990

Abstract

Addressing the global challenge of persistent waste through an eco-conscious strategy to transform it into valuable and versatile materials holds great significance in today's swiftly evolving world. By adopting a sustainable approach, we can repurpose waste syringes composed of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) into fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) using a simple hydrothermal process. This research harnessed hyaluronic acid to carbonize and modify discarded plastic syringes, resulting in the creation of luminescent syringe carbon dots (SCDs). Rigorous analysis employing diverse techniques delved into their optical attributes, size distribution, and surface characteristics. Extensive biocompatibility assessments using established assay methods confirmed the safety of the derived SCDs, unveiling their potential antibacterial and antifungal traits. Additionally, a confocal microscope was employed to evaluate the cellular imaging capabilities of SCDs on HeLa cells. Notably, at bactericidal concentrations, SCDs exhibited mild cytotoxicity towards mammalian cells, showcasing cell viability surpassing 91.07% at 1 mg/mL. This pioneering exploration paves the way for potential applications of SCD-based nano-bactericides across various biomedical domains. The initial outcomes established herein mark a significant stride towards the creation of cost-effective and ecologically sound fluorescent probes for biomedical imaging, aimed at combating microbial infections. By ingeniously reutilizing polyethylene terephthalate (PET), this investigation offers a sustainable remedy to address the ecological predicaments linked with plastic waste. In doing so, it charts a course towards contributing to the development of affordable, eco-friendly solutions, heralding a promising prospect for a cleaner, healthier environment.