Fluorescence Profile of Calabrian Opuntia ficus-indica Cladodes Extract: a Promising Low-cost Material for Technological Applications

TL;DR

This study investigates the autofluorescence properties of Calabrian Opuntia ficus-indica extract, revealing its potential as a low-cost, natural fluorescent material suitable for various technological applications such as bioimaging and anti-counterfeiting.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed fluorescence profile of OFI extract and demonstrates its enhanced fluorescence when incorporated into polymers, highlighting its practical application potential.

Findings

OFI extract exhibits significant red fluorescence under UV light.

Fluorescence signal is up to 40 times stronger in polymer composites.

OFI extract can replace commercial dyes in multiple applications.

Abstract

The autofluorescence of calabrian Opuntia ficus-indica bioactive extract upon UV illumination is explored by fluorescence spectroscopy enabling to investigate the typology and distribution of responsible molecules within green cladodes. The spectroscopic analysis of the extract shows a significative red emission, suggesting an abundance of chlorophylls in the sample. Such molecules show pronounced fluorescence in the visible range (400-800 nm) with a very large Stokes shift, when excited with UV light source. The fluorescence profiling is performed also in the case of polymers, such as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), enriched with OFI extract with a signal improvement up to 40 times greater than the extract alone. This by-product fluorescent molecule can replace commercial dyes into several applications spanning from nano-optics to anti-counterfeiting and bioimaging.