From Weed to Shining ‘Mystic Stars’: Value‐Added Applications of Siam Weed Derived Carbon Dots

• Published in: ChemistrySelect (Weinheim) Vol. 7; no. 19
• Main Authors: Pallilavalappil, Sreedhanya, Raveendran, Varsha P. T., Kizhakayil, Renuka Neeroli
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 19.05.2022
• Subjects: Antioxidants; Carbon dots; Folic acid detection; Luminescence
• ISSN: 2365-6549; 2365-6549
• DOI: 10.1002/slct.202200080

Herein, a common weed Chromolaena odorata (C. Odorata, Siam weed) is utilized as a precursor for synthesizing carbon dots (CO‐CDs) via a facile hydrothermal method devoid of further functionalization. CO‐CDs possess good water solubility, high photo stability, and intense blue fluorescence with a quantum yield of 2.56 %. Fluorescence of the as‐prepared carbon dots is quenched consequent to interaction with folic acid with high specificity, which enabled its service as an admirable probe for folic acid analysis. The limit of detection (LOD) of folic acid was noted to be 4.5 μM. The mechanism of fluorescence quenching is substantiated through the inner filter effect. The practical utility of the system is assured through analysis of folic acid in commercial samples, with an average range of 90–102 % recovery. Additionally, CO‐CDs are also established to be excellent radical scavengers. The fluorescent carbon dot is a novel type of carbon nanomaterial. Here we have adopted facile and simple hydrothermal carbonaceous method for the synthesis of carbon dot from the green precursor‐like leaf of siam weed. Instead of vast devastation, one of the world′s most invasive weeds has been converted to a usable adduct. The prepared system can be used as an effective candidate for folic acid sensing and antioxidant.