Doped Graphene Quantum Dots as Biocompatible Radical Scavenging Agents

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Oxidative stress, driven by reactive oxygen species (ROS), is implicated in diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer.
• Developing effective radical scavenging agents is crucial for mitigating oxidative damage.
• Nanoscale structures and metal-organic complexes offer new avenues for antioxidant development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and evaluate novel biocompatible metal-doped graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as ROS scavenging agents.
• To assess the radical scavenging efficacy of various metal-doped GQD formulations.
• To investigate the potential of these doped GQDs for multimodal therapeutic applications.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of ten types of biocompatible graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with diverse metal dopants.
• Assessment of radical scavenging abilities using DPPH, KMnO4, and Rhodamine B (RHB) assays.
• Evaluation of fluorescence imaging capabilities for in vitro tracking and cellular internalization.

Main Results:

• All metal-doped GQDs exhibited enhanced antioxidant properties compared to undoped GQDs.
• Aluminum-doped GQDs demonstrated 60-95% radical scavenging efficacy relative to ascorbic acid.
• Thulium (Tm)-doped GQDs matched ascorbic acid's efficacy in the KMnO4 assay.
• Doped GQDs displayed inherent fluorescence for in vitro tracking and confirmed cellular uptake.

Conclusions:

• Biocompatible metal-doped GQDs are effective ROS scavengers with potential therapeutic benefits.
• These multifunctional nanomaterials offer combined antioxidant activity and fluorescence imaging capabilities.
• Doped GQDs represent promising candidates for multimodal cancer therapeutics, enabling ROS reduction and targeted delivery.