<br/>Combustion-formed particulate matter is a known cause of oxidative stress in cells and has been extensively investigated, but particulate matter in the ultrafine region (&lt;100 nm) needs much more study, both as individual causal agents and as components of particulate matter as a whole. Black carbon (BC) is a known component of particulate matter that has been declared a health threat by the World Health Organization, but BC also has been declared a substance that requires further examination so as to gain an understanding of its individual impact on the human body, in particular, the lower respiratory tract. Determining the health and biological effects of individual components of particulate matter is very difficult to do while working with particulate matter as a whole due to its complex nature. Creation of fluorescent carbon dots (FCDs) that can act as surrogates for BC will allow for the analysis of effects due to BC as an individual component. In the process of synthesizing FCDs for use as BC surrogates, many different synthesis methods were evaluated, yielding insight into the relation of structural properties of FCDs to their optical characteristics. By controlling different synthesis conditions, the optical properties of FCDs can be controlled, allowing for effective creation of BC surrogates, as well as offering insight into FCDs as a whole. By exposing BEAS-2B cells (human lung epithelial cells) with FCDs, the pathway of effect and ultimate destination of BC in lung cells can be determined. While observing the location of the FCDs, the cellular environment can be monitored through testing for substances that include reactive oxygen species, 8-isoprostane, glutathione, and antioxidant enzymes, so as to determine the overall effect BC has on cells.

Fluorescent carbon dot surrogates – Probing health effects of black carbon while relating form and function in creating fluorescent carbon dots

256th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.