Biocompatible and fluorescent water based NIR emitting CdTe quantum dot probes for biomedical applications

• Published in: Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy Vol. 248; p. 119206
• Main Authors: Kumari, Asha, Sharma, Arun, Sharma, Rahul, Malairaman, Udayabanu, Raj Singh, Ragini
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier B.V 05.03.2021
• Subjects: Antimicrobial activities; Cadmium Compounds - toxicity; Fluorescent Dyes; NIR quantum dots; Photo luminescence excitation; Photo luminescence, cytotoxicity; Quantum Dots - toxicity; Tellurium - toxicity; TEM-EDX; Water; Photo luminescence, cytotoxicity; Antimicrobial activities; TEM-EDX; NIR quantum dots; Photo luminescence excitation
• ISSN: 1386-1425; 1873-3557
• DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2020.119206

[Display omitted] •CdTe NIR emitting QDs have been synthesized successfully via aqueous route.•Polymer encapsulated NIR CdTe QDs were showing excellent fluorescence intensity.•Biocompatible nature of CdTe based QDs was confirmed from FTIR study.•Encapsulation reduces toxicity of CdTe QDs make them usable for deep tissue testing.•Poly and fluorescent CdTe are beneficial to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Proficient fluorescent-characteristics, cytotoxicity-behavior and antimicrobial-activity of near-infrared-emitting (NIR) CdTe quantum dots (QDs) were studied sumptuously as these QDs are having an excellence in deep-tissue dissemination of light. These, NIR-emitting QDs were synthesized using aqueous method, utilizing 3-mercaptopropionic-acid (3-MPA) as a stabilizer; it controls leakage of Cd and Te ions from CdTe QDs. However, encapsulation by polymers also prevents the same by seizing toxic consequence of prepared QDs which was confirmed from cytotoxicity studies. Therefore, easy modification according to biological environment of these encapsulated CdTe QDs can serve in bio imaging and distribution. Antimicrobial study investigated the toxic effects of QDs against bacterial strains and support cytotoxicity studies and showing maximum 26 mm zone of inhibition against bacterial strain. These, NIR fluorescent QDs possess many attractive optical properties over the standard fluorescent probes (organic dyes) and can replace these dyes, as there is no specific dye which works in NIR range.