Heteroatom doped blue luminescent carbon dots as a nano-probe for targeted cell labeling and anticancer drug delivery vehicle

Abstract

Herein, a simple and efficient method to fabricate nitrogen and sulphur doped photoluminescent carbon dots (C-dots) has been judiciously developed for targeting cancer cells. Advancement in newfangled imaging tool for cancer cells is a vital and highly trustworthy strategy for cancer therapy. The fluorescent C-dots prepared from κ-carrageenan and folic acid can serve as an efficient cargo for cancer cell labeling expressing the folate receptor on their surface. The prepared C-dots unveiled good water solubility, excellent photostability, and biocompatibility. The C-dots played the role of nano-vehicle for anticancer drug capecitabine under different pH environments. Also, C-dots were applied as invisible marker and finger print recovery applications. The folate receptor in C-dots led to amazing targetability of cancer cells and which embraces a great promise in biomedical studies.