Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) were a modern form of nanostructure that demonstrated excellent qualities for diagnosis and therapy. Controlling QDs size and distribution made it simple to adjust their electrical and optical characteristics. Yet, since certain semiconductor QDs include hazardous substances such as, cadmium, arsenic, selenium, and mercury, they have several disadvantages. One such disadvantage is cytotoxicity. As a result, these QDs are neither environmentally friendly nor biodegradable. On the other hand, since their inception in 2004, carbon nanodots (CNDs) have been recognized as a strong contender to replace the extremely dangerous metallic semiconductor class of quantum dots. This is partly because the characteristics of carbon quantum dots are widely acknowledged to include their nanoscale size, roughly flat or spherical morphologies, great water solubility, broad absorption in the UV-visible light spectrum, and vibrant fluorescence. CNDs have an amorphous or nanocrystalline center, mainly sp2 carbon, graphite grid spacing, and outside oxygenic functional groups, allowing for water solubility and subsequent complexation.
1. Synthesis of Carbon Nanodots
Both “bottom–up” and “top–down” strategies may be used to create semiconductors based on CNDs. Bottom–up strategies encompass thermal decomposition, electrochemical carbonization, microwave irradiation synthesis, and hydrothermal/solvothermal treatment. Top–down methods include laser ablation, ultrasonication, arc discharge and electrochemical oxidation. For both these processes, a strict reaction environment is frequently needed, including high-grade carbon substrates, extreme heat, powerful alkali/acid solutions, and hazardous organic solvents.
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1.1. Top–Down Approach
Due to their simplified preparation procedures, top–down approaches are appropriate for the mass manufacturing of CNDs nanomaterials. The top–down approach “cuts” carbon particles including CNTs and graphite into CNDs via an arc discharge, laser ablation, or chemical oxidation. Arc discharge and laser ablation are the most commonly used top–down methods for producing CNDs. Gonçalves et al. used laser ablation in water solution, N-acetyl-l-cysteine, and NH2-polyethylene glycol (PEG200) to create passivated CNDs. Chemical oxidation involves introducing oxygen-containing hydrophilic functional groups into carbon nanostructure complexes by oxidizing them with a potent acid. The carbon nanostructures become water-soluble, which facilitates their discharge into the fluid. Scientists have also produced CNDs by hydrothermally slicing graphene sheets.
[2] Wang et al. used graphene oxide as the precursor to creating C-dots using the hydrothermal process with microwave assistance. Carbon dots that are hydrophilic, hydrophobic, or even amphiphilic can be made using microwave-assisted synthesis. A simple one-step microwave-assisted synthesis of hydrophobic C-dots was described by Mitra et al. Using glucose as a starting material, Ma et al. reported the ultrasonic synthesis of N-doped C-dots (
Figure 1).
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Figure 1. Top–down and bottom–up approaches for the synthesis of CNDs by using hydrothermal, microwave pyrolysis, thermal decomposition, laser ablation and other different synthesis methods.
1.2. Bottom–Up Approach
In a “bottom–up” approach, CNDs are synthesized from small carbon molecules using microwave, hydrothermal, and pyrolysis methods. Basic principles involve burning and heating carbon precursors. CNDs can be prepared very efficiently through a bottom–up approach using a plethora of starting materials, and the choice of reactants determines their properties, especially in surface coating. Much more important is the fact that the roots of the carbon substrate can have a massive effect on the CNDs’ characteristics, including their sensing capabilities. Another advantage of the bottom–up approach is the easy addition of heteroatoms and other dopants. Sucrose, citric acid, amino acids, and food waste are carbon sources.
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Direct pyrolysis, the pyrolytic technique, or the carbonization of precursor materials at high temperatures are standard methods for producing carbon dots. Zhu et al. were the first to employ microwave pyrolysis as a synthesis mode, using a dissolved saccharide and PEG-200. The size of CNDs increased with reaction time as this solution was heated in a 500 W microwave. The yield of CNDs increases, and side reactions are reduced during microwave pyrolysis. Many CNDs variants have been created through direct thermal decomposition, in which precursors are heated in an inert environment until they are carbonized. Solvents are then used to extract them. The carbonization of small molecular precursors is used in the bottom–up synthesis of CND. One of the most common bottom–up synthesis approaches produces CND from a mixture of citric acid and a nitrogen-containing molecule such as urea.
[5] When these molecular precursors are pyrolyzed by microwaves or in an autoclave, the synthesis readily produces a black nanopowder of CNDs, which is highly dispersible in water and displays remarkable fluorescent properties. Depending on the conditions, these CNDs can display blue, green, or red emissions, although extensive purification is often needed to isolate CNDs from molecular intermediates produced during the synthesis. Bottom–up methods were efficient routes to produce fluorescent CNDs on a large scale. For example, small molecules and polymers can undergo dehydration and further carbonization to form CNDs.
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1.3. Preparation of CNDs Using Green Approach
CNDs synthesized from biological sources play a significant role in biomedical and environmental applications, including bioimaging, biosensing, metal ions detection and electrocatalytic oxidations. Green synthesis has attracted the interest of scientists because it is cost-effective, less hazardous, eco-friendly, less time-consuming, and requires lower temperatures (
Table 1). The production of CNDs from mostly reusable substrates includes naturally available raw materials that are relatively cheap and simple to make. CNDs made from natural sources can be used to transform low-value biomass waste into rich and valuable products. The low manufacturing cost and constant availability of raw ingredients for CNDs synthesis have made it a viable procedure for the industry also. Additionally, no dangerous organic solvents are required; instead, an aqueous solution may be used, increasing the CND's water solubility (
Figure 2).
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Figure 2. Various natural precursors for the synthesis of CNDs by using hydrothermal, microwave, pyrolysis chemical oxidation and carbonization as green approaches.
Recently, Hashemi et al. manufactured CNDs using a low-cost, simple, and green one-step hydrothermal process, producing luminous CNDs with high quantum yield from red beetroot as an organic source. According to the paper, red beetroot was sliced into small pieces and mixed with deionized water, continuously swirling for 20 min before being sonicated for an hour. The mixture was then placed in a Teflon-lined autoclave and heated in the oven (180° for 10 h). It was then centrifuged (1000 rpm for 30 min) and filtered to obtain the CNDs solution. To obtain a pure CNDs solution, the mixture was dialyzed for three days to remove contaminants.
[8] As a result, in the current context, the green synthesis approach of C-dots produces high C-dot yields at a cheap cost because of low-cost raw materials. The simple procedure adopted, as well as the fluorescence qualities found in C-dots derived from environmentally sourced materials, open the way for harmless and biocompatible C-dots to be used in sensing approaches. The study describes a single-step hydrothermal strategy to synthesize colored CNDs from maple leaves to specifically capture cesium ions. The CNDs made emit blue fluorescence and varied in size from 1 to 10 nm. Based on the electron transfer method, these CNDs were successfully employed in glycerol electro-oxidation catalysts and cesium-detecting probes.
[9] Arumugham et al. made CNDs using catharanthus roseus (white) leaves as the carbon source without the addition of an oxidizing agent or an encapsulant. These CNDs have excellent antioxidant activity and bioimaging potential against MCF-7 cells as well as strong fluorescence (FL) emission, high water solubility, stability, and non-toxicity, among other properties.
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Table 1. List of Various Natural Sources Used in the Preparation of Carbon Nanodots Using Different Green Synthesis Methods.
Kumar et al. simply heated orange juice at 120 °C for 150 min without using any specialized methods or chemicals. These spherical CNDs have a restricted size distribution, as seen by recorded electron microscopy. The hydrothermal technique used for this research is a reactive technique that produces CNDs of good yield and high quality. In a recent article, Saleem et al. present a one-step flexible approach to produce fluorescent CNDs utilizing carrot root species. The synthesized CNDs worked as nano-vehicles for the mitomycin medication delivery. By breaking hydrogen bonds in the moderately acidic extracellular milieu of the tumor, the manufactured CNDs efficiently interacted with the mitomycin drug. This caused the release of mitomycin.
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As probes for the detection of heavy metal ions, fluorescent nitrogen-doped CNDs with 5.23% nitrogen content were made utilizing a one-pot microwave processing of lotus roots. The properties of egg yolk oil (EYO) were studied by Zhao et al., who utilized microscopy, spectrophotometry, and chromatography to detect the CNDs that were present in the EYO after it had been extracted and purified using water, dialysis, and ultrafiltration (EYO CNDs). The bleeding periods of mice treated with CNDs were noticeably shorter than those of control animals in tests on liver and tail hemorrhaging. According to coagulation tests, EYO CNDs stimulate and activate the fibrinogen system as well as the intrinsic blood coagulation system. Therefore, EYO CNDs have the capacity to stimulate hemostasis, which may prompt more research into this component of traditional Chinese medicine.
[37] Xiao et al. present an inexpensive, easy, and effective microwave pyrolysis method to synthesize highly amino-functionalized fluorescent (CNDs). Through the dehydration of chitosan, the formation and functionalization of CNDs were successfully accomplished. Using a brand-new, quick microwave-assisted method that entails two stages, CNDs with an average size of 9 nm were created from an aqueous solution of raw cashew gum (RCG). A composite of partly depolymerized CG and CNDs was created at the end of the procedure.
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In a study, the ecologically friendly one-step electrodeposition method for creating GR-based hybrids was employed which avoids chemically reducing graphene oxide (rGO), which would cause further pollution. The entire process is straightforward and takes only a few minutes. Combining the benefits of GR, CNTs, and CS, the GR/CNTs/CS hybrid was created and might be used to trap organophosphate pesticides. In another study, a simple, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly method for producing ternary nanocomposites of carbon, polydopamine, and gold was demonstrated. The technique did not employ harsh reaction conditions such as those found in hydrothermal or high-temperature techniques. The excellent electrocatalytic activity was demonstrated by the CNTs/PDA/AuNPs modified electrode to oxidize chloramphenicol.
[39] One more research study covered a synthesis of multiwall carbon nanotube/Cu
2O-CuO ball-like composite (MWCNTs/Cu
2O-CuO) adopting a green hydrothermal approach which had been investigated as a novel sorbent for the solid-phase extraction of uranium utilizing inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
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2. Carbon Nanodots in Biosensing of mMicroRNAs
Macromolecules and circulating analytes in biological systems must be detected in a way that is efficient, reliable, and inexpensive. Recent developments in the field of biosensors have aided the development of functionalized nanosensors that have the potential to provide a cost-effective, efficient, and quick diagnostic approach for the detection of circulating miRNAs. Along with this, some unique properties—such as biocompatibility, high stability and water dispersibility, and accessible green synthesis, surface functionalization of C-dots that creates a strong interaction between CNDs and biological processes—all make them significant for sensing circulating analytes.
[41] Fluorescent, colorimetric, chemiluminescent, and surface plasmon resonance are the most common sensing systems used to detect circulating miRNAs.
[42] This is due to the relative ease of making fluorescent CNDs and their photostability, which can be used as low-cost alternatives for sensing significant biomarkers (
Table 2). Fluorescence-based analytical approaches allow for the accurate, efficient, and reproducible detection of biomarkers and nucleic acids. Furthermore, changes in fluorescent signals caused by biological events such as nucleic acid probe hybridization are detectable. Thus, fluorescence-based detection technologies have become increasingly popular due to these benefits.
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Table 2. List of Various Carbon Nanodots Used in Biosensing of Cell-Free Circulating MiRNAs Using Along with Synthesis Sources, Conjugation Chemistry, Analytical Methods, Target miRNAs, and Detection Limit.