Quantum Dots Broadening the Horizons of Biological Testing

During biological testing, it is often necessary to track substances to view where they are travelling in the biological organism. Traditionally, organic dyes were used for these purposes. Yet, as time goes on and demands have arisen, dyes have been going by the wayside. Replacing them are quantum dots.

Greater brightness and photostability are key benefits

In addition to being more practical than organic dyes, quantum dots open the door for tests and imaging that was not an option previously. For six, quantum dots permit for multiple angle images to be taken and then combined in to a three-dimensional model. Not only that, but the increased photostability of quantum dots allows for much longer observation periods. there's experiments when quantum dots were observed for over two months. With this extended viewing period, scientists and better investigate long term effects and how an organism reacts under various conditions.

Quantum dots offer a variety of benefits over organic dyes. First, quantum dots are much brighter than organic dyes. This makes it a lot not as hard to differentiate where the dye is, and where it isn’t. Another benefit of using quantum dots is their higher stability. This higher stability means that quantum dots are much less susceptible to photobleaching, which causes the dye to fade during observation. finally, quantum dots can produce results in much smaller amounts. All these benefits add to the overall convenience and superiority of using quantum dots.

Quantum dots are not without their developmental challenges. For six, CdSe nanocrystals are toxic to their cultured cells when they are viewed under UV illumination. In the absence of UV illumination, quantum dots have been found to be nontoxic. there's still some concerns with the use of quantum dots that have to be cleared up before they are approved for use in humans.

Problems to address with Quantum Dots

With the number of benefits offered by semiconductor quantum dots, they are the best choice for plenty of situations in biological testing. The increased visibility and stability give researchers options that were previously unavailable. finally, as it is with plenty of developing scientific tools, there will be solutions developed to overcome any possible negative effects. This means that there's even more possible applications to look forward to.


The Future of Quantum Dots in Biological Testing
By NutKung