Sustainable Carbon Nanodots from <i>Moringa oleifera</i> for Imaging Applications

Abstract In the context of growing environmental concerns, sustainable practices in nanomaterial synthesis are increasingly crucial. This study presents a green synthesis of carbon nanodots (CNDs) derived from Moringa oleifera leaves, using water as a solvent in a hydrothermal process. The synthesis was conducted at three different temperatures (140, 160, and 180 °C) to determine optimal fluorescence conditions. Characterization revealed CNDs with particle sizes of approximately 5–6 nm, and quantum yields (QY) were found to be ranging from 4% to 26%. Comprehensive analyses, including UV–vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, HR‐TEM, and DLS, were performed to evaluate structural and optical properties. The synthesized CNDs exhibited significant fluorescence, with microscopy demonstrating their application potential in imaging yeast cells. The successful implementation of this green synthesis method, utilizing water as the sole solvent, presents an eco‐friendly alternative for producing biocompatible CNDs suitable for biomedical imaging applications. These findings contribute to the growing field of sustainable nanomaterial synthesis while offering practical applications in biological imaging.