Biogenic Synthesis of Fluorescent Carbon Dots (CDs) and Their Application in Bioimaging of Agricultural Crops

Fluorescent nanoparticles have a transformative potential for advanced sensors and devices for point-of-need diagnostics and bioimaging, bypassing the technical burden of meeting the assay performance requirements. Carbon dots (CDs) are rapidly emerging carbon-based nanomaterials. Regardless of their fate, they will find increasing applications. In this study, a simple approach for synthesizing CDs from fruit peels was developed. The CDs were fabricated from Annona squamosa (L.) peels using a carbonization technique through microwave-assisted hydrothermal digestion at temperatures around 200 °C. Synthesized CDs were detected using a UV transilluminator for the preliminary confirmation of the presence of fluorescence. UV-Vis spectrophotometry (absorbance at 505 nm) analysis, zeta potential measurement (-20.8 mV), nanoparticles tracking analysis (NTA) (average size: 15.4 nm and mode size: 9.26 nm), photoluminescence, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis were used to identify the capping functional groups on the CDs. The total quantum yield exhibited was 8.93%, and the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) showed the size range up to 40 nm. The germinating mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.)) seeds were incubated with biogenically synthesized CDs to check the absorption of CDs by them. The fluorescence was observed under a UV-transilluminator in the growing parts of seeds, indicating the absorption of CDs during the germination, development, and growth. These fluorescent CDs could be used as a bioimaging agent. This novel method of synthesizing CDs was found to be eco-friendly, rapid, and cost-effective.