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[Display omitted] • One-step preparation of full-color carbon dots by selecting the anticancer drug hydroxyurea as the precursor. • Rapid and targeted endocytosis were achieved by mannose-modified carbon dots. • The hydroxyurea active functional group retained in mp-CDs synergizes with mannose to yield therapeutic effects on liver cancer cells. Using hydroxyurea and o-phenylenediamine as precursors, a series of panchromatic carbon dots were synthesized by varying the kind and amounts of solvents, and the pink carbon dots (p-CDs) with a quantum yield of 46% were chosen for cellular research. After further modifying the p-CDs with mannose, mp-CDs could selectively target liver cancer cells that overexpressed the mannose receptor and easily enter the cells via endocytosis to achieve naked-eye discrimination of liver cancer cells. In addition, the residual hydroxyurea functional group on the surface of mp-CDs is in coordination with mannose, which induces targeted killing effects on liver cancer cells. This work not only suggests a strategy for making panchromatic carbon dots by altering the solvent, but it also offers a way to identify and treat liver cancer through cellular research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular assembly of carbon dots with organic luminescent small molecules can be devoted to picking up a predetermined fluorescent probe detection system for specific targets. In this work, the blue fluorescent carbon dots B-CDs were prepared by using sodium citrate and nitrogen-rich branched polyethyleneimine as precursors through a functional preservation strategy. A modularized, difunctional and ratiometric fluorescent probe B-CDs@RBH with dual-emission was dexterously prepared by simply blending B-CDs and rhodamine b-hydrazide for the detection of Hg2+ and Cu2+. B-CDs can be quenched by Hg2+ through static quenching, while Cu2+ can specifically open the lactam of rhodamine b-hydrazide to form rhodamine B through hydrolysis accompanied by a turn-on orange fluorescence. More interestingly, rhodamine B can absorb the fluorescence of B-CDs through fluorescence resonance energy transfer, resulting in a blue to orange fluorescence color change in the presence of Cu2+. B-CDs@RBH has a low detection limit of 17.79 nM and 4.19 nM for Hg2+ and Cu2+ respectively with a detection range of 0.1–5 μM, which was applied for the ratiometric fluorescence detection of Hg2+ and Cu2+ in cells and zebrafish, and achieved smartphone-assisted on-site water samples detection. The facile modular design of B-CDs@RBH fluorescent probe and convenient on-site detection application are of great benefit in further ascertaining the migration and transformation of heavy metals in biological and environmental samples. [Display omitted] • The facile modular fabrication of bifunctional FRET-type fluorescent probe by hybridizing carbon dots and fluorescent dye. • The monitoring of Hg2+ and Cu2+ in water samples, living cells and zebrafish was realized. • Smartphone-assisted on-site quantitative determination of Hg2+ and Cu2+ was realized with no expensive instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The prepared two carbon dots based on wheat straw emerge dual-function luminescence characteristics, fluorescence is used for detection of Cu2+ and RTP for information security. • The blue carbon dots of Cu2+ was prepared by one-step carbonization method, and the detection selectivity and interference performance were satisfactory. • The CDs was successfully applied to image the contents of Cu2+ in living cells and zebrafish. • CDs@IPA shows different solid fluorescent colors under different UV lamps and green visible room temperature phosphorescence to the naked eyes for 5 s. The green synthesis of fluorescent carbon dots from biomass is critical for their sustainable application. Herein, using wheat straw as a single precursor, carbon dots (CDs) were prepared through a one-step carbonization process, and the obtained CDs have intense blue luminescence and excitation-independent photoluminescent behavior. The solution of CDs shows good biocompatibility, and low cytotoxicity successfully used as hopeful bioimaging and biosensing probe for Cu2+ in HepG2 cells and zebrafish. Based on CDs, boron-doped carbon dots with IPA shells (CDs@IPA) can be obtained by doping boron element and isophthalic acid (IPA) coating. CDs@IPA irradiated with different wavelength ultraviolet lamps shows different solid fluorescence, while turning off the ultraviolet lamp can produce green visible room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) to the naked eyes for 5 s. The two kinds of wheat straw-based carbon dots have bifunctional luminescence properties and can be used to detect Cu2+ and serve as RTP anti-counterfeiting signs to ensure information security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]