Deep eutectic solvents-derived carbon dots for detection of mercury (II), photocatalytic antifungal activity and fluorescent labeling for C. albicans

A novel nitrogen and chloride co-doped carbon dots (N/Cl-CDs) based choline chloride-urea deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were synthesized by one-step hydrothermal method with high quantumyield of 37% and excellent photoluminescent properties. This N/Cl-CDs fluorescent probe had been successfully applied to sensitively and selectively detect the concentration of Hg2+ with a linear range of 0.2-40 mu M and a detection limit of 0.05 mu M. Moreover, the N/Cl-CDs displayed a strong photocatalytic antifungal activity against C. albicans and their photo-induced antifungal functions were evaluated under conditions of varying other experimental parameters. The antifungal efficiency of N/Cl-CDs (7 mg/mL) against C. albicans is upon 100% when extending the visible light irradiation time to 80 min. In addition, the excellent luminescence properties of N/Cl-CDs can also label C. albicans and displayed multicolour fluorescence imaging at different excitation wavelengths. Based on their functions of fluorescence probe, antifungal and fluorescence imaging, N/Cl-CDs would provide potentials for a wide range of applications in the detection and microbe in the near future. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.