Extracellular bio-production and characterization of small monodispersed CdSe quantum dot nanocrystallites

•Synthesis of small and monodispersed CdSe quantum dots.•Multiple physical characterizations revealed the morphological and surface characteristics.•Eco-friendly route to produce QDs for the creation of next-generation fluorescent bio-labels.

Engineered nanoparticles of diverse forms are being profoundly used for various applications and demand ecologically benign synthesis processes. Conventional chemical methods employed for the syntheses of nanoparticles are environmentally unfriendly and energy intensive. Biologically inspired biofabrication approaches that utilize naturally existing microorganisms or plant extracts or biomaterials might overcome these issues. The present investigation for the first time shows the synthesis of small and monodispersed cadmium selenide nanoparticles utilizing the plant pathogenic fungus, Helminthosporum solani upon incubating with an aqueous solution of CdCl2 and SeCl4 under ambient conditions. Multiple physical characterizations involving ultraviolet–visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the production, purity, optical and surface characteristics, crystalline nature, size and shape distributions, and elemental composition of the nanoparticles. Pluralities of the particles are monodisperse spheres with a mean diameter of 5.5 ± 2 nm, are hydrophilic, highly stable with a broad photoluminescence and 1% quantum yield. This approach provides an alternative facile route for the biofabrication of quantum dot that is reliable, environmentally friendly, and lends itself directly for the creation of fluorescent biological labels.

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