Nature-driven blue-emissive N, S-CDs: Harnessing sequential “switch-off-on” fluorescence signals for detection of chrysin and Al³⁺ along with cellular imaging versatility

Novel biocompatible blue emissive nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon dots (N, S-CDs) were synthesized via in situ microwave-assisted synthesis from snake melon (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) for the first time. The N, S-CDs have been utilized for fluorimetric determination of chrysin (CHR). The fluo...

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Main Authors: Maha Mohammad Abdel-Monem, Mohamed I. Walash, Asmaa Kamal El-Deen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-08-01
Series:Talanta Open
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666831925000682
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author Maha Mohammad Abdel-Monem
Mohamed I. Walash
Asmaa Kamal El-Deen
author_facet Maha Mohammad Abdel-Monem
Mohamed I. Walash
Asmaa Kamal El-Deen
author_sort Maha Mohammad Abdel-Monem
collection DOAJ
description Novel biocompatible blue emissive nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon dots (N, S-CDs) were synthesized via in situ microwave-assisted synthesis from snake melon (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) for the first time. The N, S-CDs have been utilized for fluorimetric determination of chrysin (CHR). The fluorescence emitted by the N, S-CDs (λem = 460 nm) decreased upon the addition of CHR due to dynamic quenching and the inner filter effect (IFE). The reduction in emission intensity exhibits a linear relationship over a concentration range of 2.0–275.0 μM with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.0837 μM. By contrast, the quenched fluorescence of the N, S-CD/CHR system was restored upon the addition of Al³⁺, which efficiently displaced CHR from the surface of the N, S-CDs, prompting fluorescence ''switch-on''. The retrieved fluorescence intensity was proportional to Al3+ concentration over a range of 50.0–4000.0 μM, with a LOD of 2.96 μM. This sequential approach was efficiently utilized to determine CHR and Al3+ in real pharmaceutical, biological, and environmental samples with accurate and precise findings. Furthermore, due to their minimal cytotoxicity, the N, S-CDs were also successful for cellular imaging on HepG2 cells. The proposed sensing platform provides several merits, including simplicity, cost-efficiency, long-lasting stability, high selectivity, and exceptional sensitivity. These findings not only contribute to the growing field of carbon-based nanomaterials but also offer a sustainable and multifunctional platform for environmental and biomedical applications.
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spelling doaj-art-c5c64cf1f65c4c5984b34355f10946b32025-08-20T03:49:03ZengElsevierTalanta Open2666-83192025-08-011110046610.1016/j.talo.2025.100466Nature-driven blue-emissive N, S-CDs: Harnessing sequential “switch-off-on” fluorescence signals for detection of chrysin and Al³⁺ along with cellular imaging versatilityMaha Mohammad Abdel-Monem0Mohamed I. Walash1Asmaa Kamal El-Deen2Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt; Corresponding authors.Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, EgyptPharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt; Department of Agro-Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, 819-0395, Fukuoka, Japan; Corresponding authors.Novel biocompatible blue emissive nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon dots (N, S-CDs) were synthesized via in situ microwave-assisted synthesis from snake melon (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) for the first time. The N, S-CDs have been utilized for fluorimetric determination of chrysin (CHR). The fluorescence emitted by the N, S-CDs (λem = 460 nm) decreased upon the addition of CHR due to dynamic quenching and the inner filter effect (IFE). The reduction in emission intensity exhibits a linear relationship over a concentration range of 2.0–275.0 μM with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.0837 μM. By contrast, the quenched fluorescence of the N, S-CD/CHR system was restored upon the addition of Al³⁺, which efficiently displaced CHR from the surface of the N, S-CDs, prompting fluorescence ''switch-on''. The retrieved fluorescence intensity was proportional to Al3+ concentration over a range of 50.0–4000.0 μM, with a LOD of 2.96 μM. This sequential approach was efficiently utilized to determine CHR and Al3+ in real pharmaceutical, biological, and environmental samples with accurate and precise findings. Furthermore, due to their minimal cytotoxicity, the N, S-CDs were also successful for cellular imaging on HepG2 cells. The proposed sensing platform provides several merits, including simplicity, cost-efficiency, long-lasting stability, high selectivity, and exceptional sensitivity. These findings not only contribute to the growing field of carbon-based nanomaterials but also offer a sustainable and multifunctional platform for environmental and biomedical applications.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666831925000682ChrysinAl3+Carbon dotsMicrowave synthesisFluorescenceCell imaging
spellingShingle Maha Mohammad Abdel-Monem
Mohamed I. Walash
Asmaa Kamal El-Deen
Nature-driven blue-emissive N, S-CDs: Harnessing sequential “switch-off-on” fluorescence signals for detection of chrysin and Al³⁺ along with cellular imaging versatility
Talanta Open
Chrysin
Al3+
Carbon dots
Microwave synthesis
Fluorescence
Cell imaging
title Nature-driven blue-emissive N, S-CDs: Harnessing sequential “switch-off-on” fluorescence signals for detection of chrysin and Al³⁺ along with cellular imaging versatility
title_full Nature-driven blue-emissive N, S-CDs: Harnessing sequential “switch-off-on” fluorescence signals for detection of chrysin and Al³⁺ along with cellular imaging versatility
title_fullStr Nature-driven blue-emissive N, S-CDs: Harnessing sequential “switch-off-on” fluorescence signals for detection of chrysin and Al³⁺ along with cellular imaging versatility
title_full_unstemmed Nature-driven blue-emissive N, S-CDs: Harnessing sequential “switch-off-on” fluorescence signals for detection of chrysin and Al³⁺ along with cellular imaging versatility
title_short Nature-driven blue-emissive N, S-CDs: Harnessing sequential “switch-off-on” fluorescence signals for detection of chrysin and Al³⁺ along with cellular imaging versatility
title_sort nature driven blue emissive n s cds harnessing sequential switch off on fluorescence signals for detection of chrysin and al³⁺ along with cellular imaging versatility
topic Chrysin
Al3+
Carbon dots
Microwave synthesis
Fluorescence
Cell imaging
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666831925000682
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