Non-Toxic L-Phenylalanine Doped Carbon Dots: High Performance Photoluminescent Agent for Bioimaging

Carbon dots (CDs) are promising new generation bioimaging agents which possess remarkable properties such as excellent biocompatibility, stability, low toxicity, high luminescence, large surface area to volume ratio, flexible surface for conjugations with various biomolecules, tunable size, and optical properties. Among the essential amino acids, phenylalanine was selected for this study. One-pot microwave-assisted method was used to synthesize phenylalanine carbon dots (Phe-CDs) from citric acid and phenylalanine. The UV–visible spectrum of Phe-CDs showed two absorption peaks at 250 and 340 nm depicting the characteristic absorption of an aromatic π system.