Synthesis of carbon quantum dots from Trigonella foenum-graecum L seeds and their biodistribution in mice as an inorganic isotope label

Abstract

Nowadays, researchers are paying significant attention to the processing of natural carbon sources in order to improve human safety and reduce environmental pollution by means of green synthesis methods. Based on this, the present study has been investigated the green synthesis of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with unique properties, by a natural carbon source called Trigonella foenum-graecum L (TF), through one- pot hydrothermal strategy. The results of different analysis methods (FTIR, FESEM, EDAX, TEM, UV–Vis, and PL) provided the necessary confirmations for the synthesized CQDs. Synthesized CQDs with spherical morphology and an average size of ∼ 5 nm have been a quantum efficiency of 18.9 % and optimal fluorescence under the excitation wavelength of 410 nm. Subsequently, the biological effects of CQDs (MTT assay) on CT26 cancer cell line was confirmed to be cytotoxic by observing an increase in the concentration of CQDs along with the IC50 value (∼826 μg/ml). Also, the two factors of colloidal stability and cytotoxicity, which depend on the concentration of CQDs, were considered to investigate the biological distribution of labeled 99mTc-CQDs that were intravenously injected into rats. Taken together, this work has been succeeded in providing data on the potential of CQDs for diagnostic and imaging fields in broader research.