Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Dots from Borreria Hispida: For Fluorometric Sensing of VO2+ Ions and Live Cell Imaging Applications.

This research presents a straightforward approach to synthesizing advanced nanomaterials derived from the herb Borreria Hispida, focusing on their use in environmental and biological applications. Utilizing a simple hydrothermal process, nitrogen-doped carbon dots were produced from Borreria Hispida and ortho-phenylenediamine. Various analytical techniques such as XRD, TEM, FTIR, CHNS, UV-Vis, and photoluminescence spectroscopy were employed to characterize the carbon dots. The synthesized nanomaterials displayed exceptional water solubility and robust UV light stability, coupled with a high quantum yield of 9%. With particle sizes ranging from 0.5 to 3.5 nm, the carbon dots demonstrated superior sensitivity and selectivity in detecting VO²⁺ ions through a fluorometric sensing mechanism, achieving a detection limit as low as 0.25 µM. The sensing mechanism was based on a binding model where two nitrogen atoms from the carbon dots interact with a single VO²⁺ ion in a 2:1 ratio. Additionally, cytotoxicity tests revealed that the N-CDs significantly inhibited the growth of MCF7 breast cancer cells, with cell viability reaching a maximum of 92%. This research highlights the versatility of N-CDs in both environmental monitoring and biomedical fields.