Novel Enteromorpha Prolifera based carbon dots: Probing the radical scavenging of natural phenolic compounds

Publication date: 1 February 2019Source: Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, Volume 174Author(s): Xiaojuan Wang, Qi Chen, Zhengyuan Zhang, Hua He, Xiqi Ma, Zhenzhen Liu, Baosheng Ge, Fang HuangAbstractPhenolic compounds can act as protective agents against free radical oxidation. It is desirable to develop simple and efficient analytical techniques to measure the phenolic content and their antioxidant capacity. Using Enteromorpha prolifera (EP) as the carbon source, novel fluorescent carbon dots (EP-CDs) were synthesized through a facile microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. EP-CDs exhibit high mono-dispersity in aqueous solution, low cytotoxicity, and dual fluorescence emission in the visible and near-infrared range. The fluorescence of EP-CDs is inert to phenolic compounds and hydroxyl free radicals, but could be rapidly and efficiently quenched by the quinoid oxidation products. By monitoring the fluorescence quenching of EP-CDs, it is demonstrated that the radical scavenging processes of different natural phenolic compounds could be sensitively detected. By employing this eco-friendly and economic analytical method, phenols with different structure or concentration could be rapidly detected and determined. EP-CDs also have potential for additional applications, such as hydrogen peroxide and iron analysis.Graphical abstract
Source: Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces - Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research