Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-p2v8j Total loading time: 0.001 Render date: 2024-06-04T06:52:32.023Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

One-step Aqueous Synthesis of Zn-based Quantum Dots as Potential Generators of Reactive Oxygen Species

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2019

Julio A. Rivera*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Mayagüez PR00680, USA
Sonia J. Bailón-Ruiz
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry and Physics, University of Puerto Rico at Ponce, Ponce PR00732, USA
Oscar J. Perales-Perez
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Science and Materials, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Mayagüez PR00680, USA
Get access

Abstract

The actual incorporation of dopant species into the ZnS Quantum Dots (QDs) host lattice will induce structural defects evidenced by a red shift in the corresponding exciton. The doping should create new intermediate energetic levels between the valence and conduction bands of the ZnS and affect the electron-hole recombination. These trap states would favour the energy transfer processes involved with the generation of cytotoxic radicals, so-called Reactive Oxygen Species, opening the possibility to apply these nanomaterials in cancer research. Any synthesis approach should consider the direct formation of the QDs in biocompatible medium. Accordingly, the present work addresses the microwave-assisted aqueous synthesis of pure and doped ZnS QDs. As-synthesized quantum dots were fully characterized on a structural, morphological and optical viewpoint. UV-Vis analyzes evidenced the excitonic peaks at approximately 310 nm, 314 nm and 315 nm for ZnS, Cu-ZnS and Mn-ZnS, respectively, Cu/Zn and Mn/Zn molar ratio was 0.05%. This indicates the actual incorporation of the dopant species into the host lattice. In addition, the Photoluminescence spectrum of non-doped ZnS nanoparticles showed a high emission peak that was red shifted when Mn2+ or Cu2+ were added during the synthesis process. The main emission peak of non-doped ZnS, Cu-doped ZnS and Mn-doped ZnS were observed at 438 nm, 487 nm and 521 nm, respectively. Forthcoming work will address the capacity of pure and Cu-, Mn-ZnS quantum dots to generate cytotoxic Reactive Oxygen Species for cancer treatment applications.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2019 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

References:

Rosiles-Perez, C. et al. , “Luminescent Cd1−xZnxS quantum dots synthesized by a nanoemulsion method, assisted by an ultrasonic probe,” J. Lumin., vol. 184, pp. 123129, 2017.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Achakpa Ikyo, B., “Electron-Hole and Photon Recombination Processes in Quantum Well Semiconductor Lasers,” Am. J. Opt. Photonics, vol. 3, no. 5, p. 80, 2015.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bailón-Ruiz, S. and Perales-Pérez, O. J., “Generation of singlet oxygen by water-stable CdSe(S) and ZnSe(S) quantum dots,” Appl. Mater. Today, vol. 9, pp. 161166, 2017.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Drummen, G., Drummen, , and G. P.C., “Quantum Dots—From Synthesis to Applications in Biomedicine and Life Sciences,” Int. J. Mol. Sci., vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 154163, Jan. 2010.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dai, X. et al. , “Solution-processed, high-performance light-emitting diodes based on quantum dots,” Nature, vol. 515, p. 96, Oct. 2014.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bailón-Ruiz, S. J., “Processing of Zn-Based Quantum Dots as Potential Photo-Sensitizers for Nanomedicine Applications.,” 2013.Google Scholar
Trachootham, D. et al. , “Selective killing of oncogenically transformed cells through a ROS-mediated mechanism by β-phenylethyl isothiocyanate,” Cancer Cell, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 241252, 2006.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Samia, A. C. S., Chen, X., and Burda, C., “Semiconductor Quantum Dots for Photodynamic Therapy,” J. Am. Chem. Soc., vol. 125, no. 51, pp. 1573615737, Dec. 2003.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bwatanglang, I. B. et al. , “Folic acid targeted Mn:ZnS quantum dots for theranostic applications of cancer cell imaging and therapy,” Int. J. Nanomedicine, vol. 11, pp. 413428, Jan. 2016.Google ScholarPubMed
Xuan, T.-T., Liu, J.-Q., Xie, R.-J., Li, H.-L., and Sun, Z., “Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of CdS/ZnS:Cu Quantum Dots for White Light-Emitting Diodes with High Color Rendition,” Chem. Mater., vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 11871193, Feb. 2015.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blaškovičová, J. et al. , “Detection of ROS Generated by UV-C Irradiation of CdS Quantum Dots and their Effect on Damage to Chromosomal and Plasmid DNA,” Electroanalysis, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 698704, Dec. 2017.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shi, J.-J., Gong, L., Zhang, Y.-H., Yang, P., and He, J., “Microwave-assisted sonochemical synthesis of Cu and Mn doped GSH–ZnS polypeptide quantum dots and their enhanced photoelectrochemical properties,” RSC Adv., vol. 6, no. 111, pp. 109386109393, 2016.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peng, W. Q., Cong, G. W., Qu, S. C., and Wang, Z. G., “Synthesis and photoluminescence of ZnS:Cu nanoparticles,” Opt. Mater. (Amst)., vol. 29, no. 2–3, pp. 313317, 2006.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nanoclusters, I., “OPTICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ZINC SULPHIDE ( ZnS ).”Google Scholar
Angelé-Martínez, C., Nguyen, K. V. T., Ameer, F. S., Anker, J. N., and Brumaghim, J. L., “Reactive oxygen species generation by copper(II) oxide nanoparticles determined by DNA damage assays and EPR spectroscopy,” Nanotoxicology, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 278288, Feb. 2017.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dubey, M., “SYNTHESIS , STRUCTURAL AND OPTICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF CdS NANOPARTICLES,” Lab Man. Phys. Chem., vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 5762, 2010.Google Scholar