{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]],"date-time":"2026-03-09T00:00:44Z","timestamp":1773014444610,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,7,31]],"date-time":"2021-07-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1627689600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003141","name":"Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnolog\u00eda","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["A1-S-46870"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["A1-S-46870"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003141","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003141","name":"Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnolog\u00eda","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["INFR-2015-251863"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["INFR-2015-251863"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003141","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003141","name":"Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnolog\u00eda","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["PDCPN-2015-89"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PDCPN-2015-89"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003141","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100012725","name":"Tecnol\u00f3gico Nacional de M\u00e9xico","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["5238.19-P"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["5238.19-P"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100012725","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nanomaterials"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In this work, the F\u00f6rster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between carbon dots (CDs) as energy donors and riboflavin (RF) as an energy acceptor was optimized and the main parameters that characterize the FRET process were determined. The results were successfully applied in the development of an ultrasensitive ratiometric fluorescent sensor for the selective and sensitive determination of RF in different beverages. Water-soluble CDs with a high quantum yield (54%) were synthesized by a facile and direct microwave-assisted technique. The CDs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Zeta potential, and UV-visible and molecular fluorescence spectroscopy. The study of the FRET process at two donor concentrations showed that the energy transfer efficiency decreases as the donor concentration increases, confirming its dependence on the acceptor:donor ratio in nanoparticle-based systems. The results show the importance of optimizing the FRET process conditions to improve the corresponding output signal. The variation in the ratiometric signal with the concentration of RF showed linearity in a concentration range of 0 to 11 \u00b5M with R2 = 0.9973 and a detection limit of 0.025 \u00b5M. The developed nanosensor showed good selectivity over other possible types of interference. The sensor was then applied for the determination of RF in beverage samples using the standard addition method with recoveries between 96% and 106%. Preliminary cytocompatibility tests carried out with breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) revealed the nanosensor to be cytocompatible in its working concentration regime, even after long incubation times with cells. Altogether, the developed RF determination method was found to be fast, low-cost, highly sensitive, and selective and can be extended to other samples of interest in the biological and food sectors. Moreover, thanks to its long-lasting cytocompatibility, the developed platform can also be envisaged for other applications of biological interest, such as intracellular sensing and staining for live cell microscopy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nano11081981","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,1]],"date-time":"2021-08-01T21:44:32Z","timestamp":1627854272000},"page":"1981","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":17,"title":["Optimizing the Efficiency of a Cytocompatible Carbon-Dots-Based FRET Platform and Its Application as a Riboflavin Sensor in Beverages"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Roberto","family":"Sotolongo-Garc\u00eda","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Tecnol\u00f3gico Nacional de M\u00e9xico\/Instituto Tecnol\u00f3gico de Tijuana, Centro de Graduados e Investigaci\u00f3n en Qu\u00edmica, Blvd. Alberto Lim\u00f3n Padilla S\/N, Tijuana 22500, BC, Mexico"}]},{"given":"Eustolia","family":"Rodr\u00edguez-Vel\u00e1zquez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Odontolog\u00eda, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Baja California, Calzada Universidad 14418, Parque Industrial Internacional, Tijuana 22390, BC, Mexico"},{"name":"Tecnol\u00f3gico Nacional de M\u00e9xico\/I. T. Tijuana, Centro de Graduados e Investigaci\u00f3n en Qu\u00edmica-Grupo de Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Blvd. Alberto Lim\u00f3n Padilla S\/N, Tijuana 22510, BC, Mexico"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3301-9619","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manuel","family":"Alatorre-Meda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"C\u00e1tedras CONACyT-Tecnol\u00f3gico Nacional de M\u00e9xico\/I. T. Tijuana, Centro de Graduados e Investigaci\u00f3n en Qu\u00edmica-Grupo de Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Blvd. Alberto Lim\u00f3n Padilla S\/N, Tijuana 22510, BC, Mexico"}]},{"given":"Mercedes T.","family":"Oropeza-Guzm\u00e1n","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Tecnol\u00f3gico Nacional de M\u00e9xico\/Instituto Tecnol\u00f3gico de Tijuana, Centro de Graduados e Investigaci\u00f3n en Qu\u00edmica, Blvd. Alberto Lim\u00f3n Padilla S\/N, Tijuana 22500, BC, Mexico"}]},{"given":"Antonio","family":"Tirado-Gu\u00edzar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Tecnol\u00f3gico Nacional de M\u00e9xico\/Instituto Tecnol\u00f3gico de Tijuana, Centro de Graduados e Investigaci\u00f3n en Qu\u00edmica, Blvd. Alberto Lim\u00f3n Padilla S\/N, Tijuana 22500, BC, Mexico"}]},{"given":"Georgina","family":"Pina-Luis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Tecnol\u00f3gico Nacional de M\u00e9xico\/Instituto Tecnol\u00f3gico de Tijuana, Centro de Graduados e Investigaci\u00f3n en Qu\u00edmica, Blvd. Alberto Lim\u00f3n Padilla S\/N, Tijuana 22500, BC, Mexico"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,7,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1327","DOI":"10.1016\/j.trac.2011.04.009","article-title":"Analytical and bioanalytical applications of carbon dots","volume":"30","author":"Goncalves","year":"2011","journal-title":"Trends Anal. 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