Carbon Dot-Magnetite Nanoparticle Composites in CaCO3 Microspheres for Multiplexed Bioimaging and Magnetic Targeting

Irina A. Arefina; Evgeniia A. Stepanidenko; Sergey V. German; Margarita V. Nikiforova; Julijana Cvjetinovic; Kseniia A. Sergeeva; Elena I. Marusich; Alexey M. Yashchenok; Sergei A. Cherevkov; Elena V. Ushakova; Andrey L. Rogach

doi:10.1007/s42823-025-00976-6

Carbon Dot-Magnetite Nanoparticle Composites in CaCO₃ Microspheres for Multiplexed Bioimaging and Magnetic Targeting

Irina A. Arefina
, Evgeniia A. Stepanidenko
, Sergey V. German
, Margarita V. Nikiforova
, Julijana Cvjetinovic
, Kseniia A. Sergeeva
, Elena I. Marusich
, Alexey M. Yashchenok
, Sergei A. Cherevkov
, Elena V. Ushakova^*
, Andrey L. Rogach

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Multimodal composites have the potential to play a crucial role in the development of theranostic agents. Systems with optical and magnetic response can be applied in medicine for both imaging and therapy; however, combining magnetic and luminescent nanoparticles in one entity is challenging. Both the morphology and architecture of the composite, as well as the influence of the magnetic components and matrix on the light-emissive component, must be paid attention. In this study, we demonstrate a design of a composite with advantageous magnetic response and luminescence in green and red regions (excited at 405 and 580 nm, respectively), where biocompatible CaCO3 microspheres were loaded and decorated with luminescent carbon dots (CDs) and magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs). We showed the absence of CDs' toxicity by the IC50 tests and demonstrated its localization in L1 and L4 stages of C. elegans embryogenesis. We determine the optimal parameters for composite formation to achieve their improved performance and structural stability. The composites were fabricated in several steps, including loading nanoparticles and layer-by-layer application of polyelectrolytes on top of CaCO3. We demonstrated the applicability of the prepared composite microspheres for flow cytometry and showed their potential as multiplexed visualization agents, emphasizing their potential use as promising theranostic agents.

© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Korean Carbon Society 2025

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3047–3057
Number of pages	11
Journal	Carbon Letters
Volume	35
Online published	11 Sept 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s42823-025-00976-6
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025

Funding

This research was supported by the Priority 2030 Federal Academic Leadership Program, the Global Experts project funded by the Moravian-Silesian Region and VSB-TUO (contract 00734/2023/RRC), the Russian Science Foundation (project RSF-22-13-00294-П for the carbon dot synthesis, and project RSF-23-74-00022 for the magnetic microsphere fabrication), and by the Ministry of Science and High Education of the Russian Federation (project No. FSMG-2023-0015). The authors express their gratitude to the ITMO University Core Facility Center “Nanotechnologies” and the Skoltech Advanced Imaging Core Facility (AICF).

Research Keywords

Carbon dots
Magnetite
Calcium carbonate microspheres
Luminescence
Theranostics

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Arefina, I. A., Stepanidenko, E. A., German, S. V., Nikiforova, M. V., Cvjetinovic, J., Sergeeva, K. A., Marusich, E. I., Yashchenok, A. M., Cherevkov, S. A., Ushakova, E. V., & Rogach, A. L. (2025). Carbon Dot-Magnetite Nanoparticle Composites in CaCO₃ Microspheres for Multiplexed Bioimaging and Magnetic Targeting. Carbon Letters, 35, 3047–3057. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42823-025-00976-6

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title = "Carbon Dot-Magnetite Nanoparticle Composites in CaCO3 Microspheres for Multiplexed Bioimaging and Magnetic Targeting",

abstract = "Multimodal composites have the potential to play a crucial role in the development of theranostic agents. Systems with optical and magnetic response can be applied in medicine for both imaging and therapy; however, combining magnetic and luminescent nanoparticles in one entity is challenging. Both the morphology and architecture of the composite, as well as the influence of the magnetic components and matrix on the light-emissive component, must be paid attention. In this study, we demonstrate a design of a composite with advantageous magnetic response and luminescence in green and red regions (excited at 405 and 580 nm, respectively), where biocompatible CaCO3 microspheres were loaded and decorated with luminescent carbon dots (CDs) and magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs). We showed the absence of CDs' toxicity by the IC50 tests and demonstrated its localization in L1 and L4 stages of C. elegans embryogenesis. We determine the optimal parameters for composite formation to achieve their improved performance and structural stability. The composites were fabricated in several steps, including loading nanoparticles and layer-by-layer application of polyelectrolytes on top of CaCO3. We demonstrated the applicability of the prepared composite microspheres for flow cytometry and showed their potential as multiplexed visualization agents, emphasizing their potential use as promising theranostic agents. {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Korean Carbon Society 2025 ",

keywords = "Carbon dots, Magnetite, Calcium carbonate microspheres, Luminescence, Theranostics",

author = "Arefina, \{Irina A.\} and Stepanidenko, \{Evgeniia A.\} and German, \{Sergey V.\} and Nikiforova, \{Margarita V.\} and Julijana Cvjetinovic and Sergeeva, \{Kseniia A.\} and Marusich, \{Elena I.\} and Yashchenok, \{Alexey M.\} and Cherevkov, \{Sergei A.\} and Ushakova, \{Elena V.\} and Rogach, \{Andrey L.\}",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1007/s42823-025-00976-6",

language = "English",

volume = "35",

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Arefina, IA, Stepanidenko, EA, German, SV, Nikiforova, MV, Cvjetinovic, J, Sergeeva, KA, Marusich, EI, Yashchenok, AM, Cherevkov, SA, Ushakova, EV & Rogach, AL 2025, 'Carbon Dot-Magnetite Nanoparticle Composites in CaCO₃ Microspheres for Multiplexed Bioimaging and Magnetic Targeting', Carbon Letters, vol. 35, pp. 3047–3057. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42823-025-00976-6

TY - JOUR

T1 - Carbon Dot-Magnetite Nanoparticle Composites in CaCO3 Microspheres for Multiplexed Bioimaging and Magnetic Targeting

AU - Arefina, Irina A.

AU - Stepanidenko, Evgeniia A.

AU - German, Sergey V.

AU - Nikiforova, Margarita V.

AU - Cvjetinovic, Julijana

AU - Sergeeva, Kseniia A.

AU - Marusich, Elena I.

AU - Yashchenok, Alexey M.

AU - Cherevkov, Sergei A.

AU - Ushakova, Elena V.

AU - Rogach, Andrey L.

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Multimodal composites have the potential to play a crucial role in the development of theranostic agents. Systems with optical and magnetic response can be applied in medicine for both imaging and therapy; however, combining magnetic and luminescent nanoparticles in one entity is challenging. Both the morphology and architecture of the composite, as well as the influence of the magnetic components and matrix on the light-emissive component, must be paid attention. In this study, we demonstrate a design of a composite with advantageous magnetic response and luminescence in green and red regions (excited at 405 and 580 nm, respectively), where biocompatible CaCO3 microspheres were loaded and decorated with luminescent carbon dots (CDs) and magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs). We showed the absence of CDs' toxicity by the IC50 tests and demonstrated its localization in L1 and L4 stages of C. elegans embryogenesis. We determine the optimal parameters for composite formation to achieve their improved performance and structural stability. The composites were fabricated in several steps, including loading nanoparticles and layer-by-layer application of polyelectrolytes on top of CaCO3. We demonstrated the applicability of the prepared composite microspheres for flow cytometry and showed their potential as multiplexed visualization agents, emphasizing their potential use as promising theranostic agents. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Korean Carbon Society 2025

AB - Multimodal composites have the potential to play a crucial role in the development of theranostic agents. Systems with optical and magnetic response can be applied in medicine for both imaging and therapy; however, combining magnetic and luminescent nanoparticles in one entity is challenging. Both the morphology and architecture of the composite, as well as the influence of the magnetic components and matrix on the light-emissive component, must be paid attention. In this study, we demonstrate a design of a composite with advantageous magnetic response and luminescence in green and red regions (excited at 405 and 580 nm, respectively), where biocompatible CaCO3 microspheres were loaded and decorated with luminescent carbon dots (CDs) and magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs). We showed the absence of CDs' toxicity by the IC50 tests and demonstrated its localization in L1 and L4 stages of C. elegans embryogenesis. We determine the optimal parameters for composite formation to achieve their improved performance and structural stability. The composites were fabricated in several steps, including loading nanoparticles and layer-by-layer application of polyelectrolytes on top of CaCO3. We demonstrated the applicability of the prepared composite microspheres for flow cytometry and showed their potential as multiplexed visualization agents, emphasizing their potential use as promising theranostic agents. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Korean Carbon Society 2025

KW - Carbon dots

KW - Magnetite

KW - Calcium carbonate microspheres

KW - Luminescence

KW - Theranostics

UR - https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:001568721000001

U2 - 10.1007/s42823-025-00976-6

DO - 10.1007/s42823-025-00976-6

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 1976-4251

VL - 35

SP - 3047

EP - 3057

JO - Carbon Letters

JF - Carbon Letters

ER -