A carbon dots-based fluorescence turn-on method for DNA determination.

In the present work, we found that methylene blue (MB) caused an efficient quenching of the fluorescence of carbon dots (CDots). However, as ct-DNA was added, the fluorescence of CDots was restored reversibly. Under the experimental conditions, CDots were excellent electron donors.

Rapid determination of the toxicity of quantum dots with luminous bacteria.

In this paper, a novel method so-called bioluminescence inhibition assay with luminous bacteria (Photobacterium phosphoreum) was introduced to evaluate the toxicity of quantum dots. The bioassay was based on measuring the decrease of the light emitted by luminous bacteria. With obvious advantages of simplicity, rapidity and sensitivity, it can dramatically improve the efficiency of probing the toxicity of QDs.

Study on the fluorescence characteristics of carbon dots.

Herein, we prepared water-soluble fluorescent carbon dots with diameter about 1.5 nm from cheap commercial lampblack. These fluorescent carbon nanoparticles are stable toward photobleaching and stable in water for more than half a year without fluorescence decrease.