In Vivo NIR Fluorescence Imaging, Biodistribution, and Toxicology of Photoluminescent Carbon Dots Produced from Carbon Nanotubes and Graphite

Oxidization of carbon nanotubes by a mixed acid has been utilized as a standard method to functionalize carbon nanomaterials for years. Here, the products obtained from carbon nanotubes and graphite after a mixed‐acid treatment are carefully studied. Nearly identical carbon dot (Cdot) products with...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Germany), 2012-01, Vol.8 (2), p.281-290
Main Authors: Tao, Huiquan, Yang, Kai, Ma, Zhen, Wan, Jianmei, Zhang, Youjiu, Kang, Zhenhui, Liu, Zhuang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
biodistribution
Carbon
carbon quantum dots
Diagnostic Imaging
Female
Fluorescence
Graphite
HEK293 Cells
Humans
in vivo imaging
Iodine Radioisotopes - pharmacokinetics
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Mice, Nude
Microscopy, Atomic Force
Nanotechnology
Nanotubes
Nanotubes, Carbon
Quantum Dots - chemistry
Quantum Dots - metabolism
Quantum Dots - toxicity
Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
Tissue Distribution
Toxicology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Oxidization of carbon nanotubes by a mixed acid has been utilized as a standard method to functionalize carbon nanomaterials for years. Here, the products obtained from carbon nanotubes and graphite after a mixed‐acid treatment are carefully studied. Nearly identical carbon dot (Cdot) products with diameters of 3–4 nm are produced using this approach from a variety of carbon starting materials, including single‐walled carbon nanotubes, multiwalled carbon nanotubes, and graphite. These Cdots exhibit strong yellow fluorescence under UV irradiation and shifted emission peaks as the excitation wavelength is changed. In vivo fluorescence imaging with Cdots is then demonstrated in mouse experiments, by using varied excitation wavelengths including some in the near‐infrared (NIR) region. Furthermore, in vivo biodistribution and toxicology of those Cdots in mice over different periods of time are studied; no noticeable signs of toxicity for Cdots to the treated animals are discovered. This work provides a facile method to synthesize Cdots as safe non‐heavy‐metal‐containing fluorescent nanoprobes, promising for applications in biomedical imaging. Nearly identical carbon dot (Cdot) products are produced from various carbon starting materials by using a mixed‐acid treatment. The Cdots exhibit strong yellow fluorescence under UV irradiation and shifted emission peaks as the excitation wavelength is changed. In vivo fluorescence imaging with the Cdots is demonstrated in mouse experiments, by using varied excitation wavelengths including some in the near‐infrared (NIR) region. In vivo biodistribution and toxicology studies do not reveal any signs of toxicity for Cdots, suggesting their applicability to biomedical imaging.
ISSN:1613-6810
1613-6829
DOI:10.1002/smll.201101706