# Enhanced biosensing of diabetes biomarkers by using rationally engineered carbon dots

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how engineered carbon dots can improve biosensing for diabetes biomarkers like glucose and reactive oxygen species.

## Contribution

The paper emphasizes the role of doping and surface functionalization in enhancing carbon dots' selectivity and biocompatibility for diabetes detection.

## Key findings

- Carbon dots with surface functionalization show improved fluorescence-based detection of diabetes biomarkers.
- Doping and surface modification enhance the optical and electronic properties of carbon dots for biosensing.
- Carbon dots are promising for non-invasive and precise detection of diabetes-related molecules.

## Abstract

Carbon dots are quasi-spherical zero-dimensional nanomaterials. Small size and tunable optical properties render carbon dots with excellent biosensing ability. They exhibit fascinating excitation-wavelength-dependent emission properties, attributed to their sp2-carbon core. Presence of dopants alters the energy levels of carbon dots, improving their optical properties and their facile surface functionalization with suitable electron donor/acceptor groups or biomolecules results in modification of their electronic properties, which in turn facilitates fluorescence-based detection of significant biomarkers. Biocompatibility and hydrophilicity, along with their captivating optical properties, inspired researchers worldwide to utilize carbon dots in the timely detection of diabetes biomarkers. Diabetes has long been one of the more concerning diseases. It shows long-term adverse effects, harming vital organs like kidney, heart, eyes, etc. Therefore, it must be diagnosed at its inception stage. Impaired metabolism of insulin in diabetic patients elevate concentrations of several biomolecules like glucose, reactive oxygen species, etc., which can be detected by fluorescence. The widespread application of fluoresce sensing in biomedicine stems from its non-invasive nature and precision. This review article highlights the influence of doping and surface functionalization of carbon dots on their improved selectivity and biocompatibility toward biosensing of diabetes markers.

Appropriate surface-decorated carbon dots (CDs) for fluorescence sensing of diabetes biomarkers like elevated levels of glucose and reactive oxygen species.