From cow manure to bioactive carbon dots: a light-up probe for bioimaging investigations, glucose detection and potential immunotherapy agent for melanoma skin cancer.

Bioactive carbon dots (C-dots) with 4 nm were successfully produced with singular photophysical properties, low-toxicity and interesting immunological response. The optical properties of the C-dots were investigated and the "light-up" behaviour enabled them to be explored in glucose detection and bioimaging experiments (mitochondrial selective probe). C-dots were not selective to the tumour region and several fluorescent spots were visualized spread on animal bodies.