Issue 20, 2025

Synthesis of carbon quantum dots from neem fruit flesh for dual metal sensing, bioimaging, and antibacterial applications

Abstract

This study reports a straightforward one-step synthesis of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) derived from neem fruit flesh, a readily accessible natural biosource. The synthesized neem fruit flesh-derived CQDs (NFF-CQDs) exhibited excellent optical properties with a quantum yield of 0.2209. Their size, functional groups, and surface charge were analyzed using HR-TEM, FT-IR, and DLS. These NFF-CQDs demonstrated dual metal-sensing capabilities: fluorescence enhancement for Al3+ ions and fluorescence quenching for Fe3+ ions, enabling the selective and sensitive detection of both metal ions at nanomolar concentrations. The Benesi–Hildebrand and Stern–Volmer plots indicated that Fe3+ ions bound more strongly than Al3+ ions. Additionally, NFF-CQDs exhibited low toxicity in MCF-7 cell bioimaging and enhanced antibacterial activity against E. coli under blue light irradiation.

Graphical abstract: Synthesis of carbon quantum dots from neem fruit flesh for dual metal sensing, bioimaging, and antibacterial applications

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 ghje 2025
Accepted
21 marz 2025
First published
06 magh 2025

New J. Chem., 2025,49, 8413-8427

Synthesis of carbon quantum dots from neem fruit flesh for dual metal sensing, bioimaging, and antibacterial applications

K. Vellaisamy, A. Velmurugan, E. Shanmugasundaram, N. K. Krishnan, V. Baskaralingam, A. Sibiya and S. Thambusamy, New J. Chem., 2025, 49, 8413 DOI: 10.1039/D5NJ00292C

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