Abstract
Biological imaging is an essential means of disease diagnosis. However, semiconductor quantum dots that are used in bioimaging applications comprise toxic metal elements that are nonbiodegradable, causing serious environmental problems. Herein, we developed a novel ecofriendly solvothermal method that uses ethanol as a solvent and doping with chlorine atoms to prepare highly fluorescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs) from seaweed. The GQDs doped with chlorine atoms exhibit high-intensity white fluorescence. Thus, their preliminary application in bioimaging has been confirmed. In addition, clear cell imaging could be performed at an excitation wavelength of 633 nm.
Highlights
Today, humankind is faced with some diseases that are extremely difficult to cure, such as cancer
The discovery of semiconductor quantum dots has opened a new chapter in modern fluorescent nanomaterials [8,9]
Cl-graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were larger than GQDs, which indicates that Cl-doping is helpful for the growth of GQDs
Summary
Humankind is faced with some diseases that are extremely difficult to cure, such as cancer. Compared with traditional organic dyes, the unique advantages of semiconductor quantum dots, such as high quantum yield, excellent photostability, and fluorescence tenability, make them promising materials in bioimaging applications. They comprise Cd, Se, Hg, and other toxic elements that are nonbiodegradable, causing environmental hazards and toxicity issues. Other GQDs with longer wavelengths show red fluorescence and are mostly soluble in organic solvents and insoluble in water [23,24], making them unsuitable for bioimaging. Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
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