Cadmium-containing quantum dots: properties, applications, and toxicity

• Published in: Applied microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 101; no. 7; pp. 2713 - 2733
• Main Authors: Mo, Dan, Hu, Liang, Zeng, Guangming, Chen, Guiqiu, Wan, Jia, Yu, Zhigang, Huang, Zhenzhen, He, Kai, Zhang, Chen, Cheng, Min
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.04.2017; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analysis; Animal models; Animals; Biocompatibility; Biological research; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedical engineering; Biomedical research; Biomedical Research - methods; Biosensing Techniques - methods; Biosensors; Biotechnology; Cadmium; Cadmium - analysis; Cell culture; Controllability; Cytotoxicity; Drug delivery; Drug delivery systems; Drug Delivery Systems - methods; drugs; Emission spectra; Excitation spectra; Fluorescence; Fluorescent Dyes; image analysis; Life Sciences; Medical innovations; Medical research; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Mini-Review; Molecular Imaging - methods; Mollusks; Nanocrystals; Nanomaterials; Nanostructures - adverse effects; Nanotechnology; Optical properties; Oxidation; photostability; Quantum dots; Quantum Dots - chemistry; Quantum Dots - metabolism; Quantum Dots - toxicity; Reviews; Studies; Technology application; Toxicity; Fluorescence; Bioimaging; Drug delivery; Quantum dots; Toxicity; Biosensing
• ISSN: 0175-7598; 1432-0614
• DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8140-9

The marriage of biology with nanomaterials has significantly accelerated advancement of biological techniques, profoundly facilitating practical applications in biomedical fields. With unique optical properties (e.g., tunable broad excitation, narrow emission spectra, robust photostability, and high quantum yield), fluorescent quantum dots (QDs) have been reasonably functionalized with controllable interfaces and extensively used as a new class of optical probe in biological researches. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in synthesis and properties of QDs. Moreover, we provide an overview of the outstanding potential of QDs for biomedical research and innovative methods of drug delivery. Specifically, the applications of QDs as novel fluorescent nanomaterials for biomedical sensing and imaging have been detailedly highlighted and discussed. In addition, recent concerns on potential toxicity of QDs are also introduced, ranging from cell researches to animal models.