Synthesis of carbon dots from spent coffee grounds: transforming waste into potential biomedical tools

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dc.contributor.authorZhou, Yingruen
dc.contributor.authorCamisasca, Adalbertoen
dc.contributor.authorDominguez-Gil, Sofiaen
dc.contributor.authorBartkowski, MichaƂen
dc.contributor.authorRochfort, Keith D.en
dc.contributor.authorPiletti, Martinaen
dc.contributor.authorWhite, Anitaen
dc.contributor.authorKrizsan, Dorottyaen
dc.contributor.authorO'Connor, Roberten
dc.contributor.authorQuinn, Susan J.en
dc.contributor.authorIacopino, Danielaen
dc.contributor.authorEustace, Alex J.en
dc.contributor.authorGiordani, Silviaen
dc.contributor.funderScience Foundation Irelanden
dc.contributor.funderSchool of Chemical Sciences, DCUen
dc.contributor.funderIrish Research Councilen
dc.contributor.funderBreakthrough Cancer Researchen
dc.date.accessioned2025-05-13T08:54:17Z
dc.date.available2025-05-13T08:54:17Z
dc.date.issued2025en
dc.description.abstractCarbon dots (CDs) are small-sized, spherical nanoparticles presenting amorphous carbon cores with nanocrystalline regions of a graphitic structure. They show unique properties such as high aqueous solubility, robust chemical inertness, and non-toxicity and can be manufactured at a relatively low cost. They are also well known for outstanding fluorescence tunability and resistance to photobleaching. Together, these properties boost their potential to act as drug delivery systems (DDSs). This work presents a low-cost synthesis of CDs by upcycling spent coffee grounds (SCGs) and transforming them into value-added products. This synthetic route eliminates the use of highly toxic heavy metals, high energy-consuming reactions and long reaction times, which can improve biocompatibility while benefiting the environment. A series of physico-chemical characterisation techniques demonstrated that these SCG-derived CDs are small-sized nanoparticles with tunable fluorescence. In vitro studies with 120 h of incubation of SCG-derived CDs demonstrated their specific antiproliferative effect on the breast cancer CAL-51 cell line, accompanied by increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Importantly, no impact was observed on healthy breast, kidney, and liver cells. Confocal laser scanning microscopy confirmed the intracellular accumulation of SCG-derived CDs. Furthermore, the drug efflux pumps P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and the breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) did not impact CD accumulation in the cancer cells.en
dc.description.sponsorshipScience Foundation Ireland (22/FFP-A/11067; 12/RC/2275_P2); School of Chemical Sciences, DCU (postdoctoral fellowship); Irish Research Council and Breakthrough Cancer Research (EPSPG/2024/1846; EPSPD/2023/309); Irish Research Council (GOIPG/2017/1510)en
dc.description.statusPeer revieweden
dc.description.versionPublished Versionen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.citationZhou, Y., Camisasca, A., Dominguez-Gil, S., Bartkowski, M., Rochfort, K. D., Piletti, M., White, A., Krizsan, D., O'Connor, R., Quinn, S. J. and Iacopino, D. (2025) 'Synthesis of carbon dots from spent coffee grounds: transforming waste into potential biomedical tools', Nanoscale, 17(16), pp.9947-9962. https://doi.org/10.1039/d4nr05186fen
dc.identifier.doi10.1039/d4nr05186fen
dc.identifier.endpage9962
dc.identifier.issn20403364en
dc.identifier.issued16
dc.identifier.journaltitleNanoscaleen
dc.identifier.startpage9947
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/17432
dc.identifier.volume17
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherRoyal Society of Chemistryen
dc.relation.project22/FFP-A/11067en
dc.relation.project12/RC/2275_P2en
dc.rights© 2025, the Author(s). Open Access.en
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectCarbonen
dc.subjectCell Line, tumoren
dc.subjectCell proliferationen
dc.subjectCoffeeen
dc.subjectHumansen
dc.subjectQuantum dotsen
dc.subjectReactive oxygen speciesen
dc.subjectCdS nanoparticlesen
dc.subjectControlled drug deliveryen
dc.subjectGlycoproteinsen
dc.subjectHydrolysisen
dc.subjectNanoclayen
dc.subjectNanocrystalsen
dc.subjectTargeted drug deliveryen
dc.subjectCarbon dotsen
dc.subjectChemical inertnessen
dc.subjectDerived carbonsen
dc.subjectGraphitic structuresen
dc.subjectLow-costsen
dc.subjectNanocrystallinesen
dc.subjectPropertyen
dc.subjectSpent coffee groundsen
dc.subjectSpherical nanoparticlesen
dc.titleSynthesis of carbon dots from spent coffee grounds: transforming waste into potential biomedical toolsen
dc.typeArticle (peer reviewed)en
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