‘Microwave assisted facile green synthesis of carrageenan carbon dots(CDs) and their interaction with Hisbiscus Rosa sinensis leaf cells’

ABSTRACT

In the present work, Carrageenan has been used as precursor to prepare carbon dots (CD) via microwave-assisted synthesis. The carbon dots, as synthesised, were characterised by various analytical techniques such as Fourier Transformation Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopic (TEM) analysis, UV-Vis spectroscopy and Fluorescent Microscopy (FM). Their size range was found to be 25 to 30 nm and the zeta potential of particles was found to be −14.98 mv. Finally, impregnation of CDs was studied in Hisbiscus Rosa sinensis leaf. It was observed that as the concentration of CDs solution increased, percent insertion (PI) also increased, but the time required for maximal insertion decreased with increasing concentrations of CDs in the feed solutions. In addition, number of CDs inserted decreased after attainment of maximum number, a fairly high concentration of CDs was observed in stomata, as viewed through fluorescence microscope.

KEYWORDS:

• Carbon dots
• fluorescence
• carrageenan
• plant cells

Highlights

• The carbon dots are produced from Carrageenan via microwave radiation exposure.

• They produce fluorescence under exposure of UV light.

• They have average particle size of 25 nm.

• They are absorbed by plant cells and produce fluorescence.

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) and IIITDM Jabalpur (M.P) for providing facilities for analysis.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).