In recent years, multifunctional nanoparticles with combined diagnostic and therapeutic functions show great promise in nanomedicine. In this study, we report the environmentally friendly synthesis of fluorescent carbon nano-dots such as carbon quantum dots (CQDs) by microplasma using o-phenylenediamine. The produced CQDs exhibited a wide absorption peaks at 380–500 nm and emitted bright yellow fluorescence with a peak at 550 nm. The CQDs were rapidly taken up by HeLa cancer cells. When excited under blue light, a bright yellow fluorescence signal and intense reactive oxygen species (ROS) were efficiently produced, enabling simultaneous fluorescent cancer cell imaging and photodynamic inactivation, with a 40% decrease in relative cell viability. Furthermore, about 98% cells were active after the incubation with 400 μg mL⁻¹ CQDs in the dark, which revealed the excellent biocompatibility of CQDs. Hence, the newly prepared CQDs are thus demonstrated to be materials which might be effective and safe to use for in vivo bioimaging and imaging-guided cancer therapy.

近年来，具有组合的诊断和治疗功能的多功能纳米颗粒在纳米医学中显示出广阔的前景。在这项研究中，我们报道了荧光碳纳米点的环境友好的合成，如碳量子点（CQDs）利用微等Ø-苯二胺。产生的CQD在380-500 nm处显示出宽吸收峰，并发出亮黄色荧光，在550 nm处出现峰。CQD被HeLa癌细胞迅速吸收。当在蓝光下激发时，可以有效地产生亮黄色荧光信号和强烈的活性氧（ROS），从而可以同时进行荧光癌细胞成像和光动力灭活，相对细胞活力降低40％。此外，在黑暗中与400μgmL ^-1 CQD孵育后，约有98％的细胞具有活性，这表明CQD具有出色的生物相容性。因此，新制备的CQDs因此被证明是可用于体内生物成像和成像指导的癌症治疗的有效和安全的材料。