Recent progress on eco-friendly quantum dots for bioimaging and diagnostics

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), as promising fluorescent materials, have been widely applied in biomedical application due to their unique optical properties. Currently, the most intensively studied are Cd-containing QDs (Cd-based QDs), whose potential toxicity prevents their further commercialization. In recent years, the eco-friendly QDs with low toxicity and environmental friendliness have begun to be developed, showing great potential in biomedical applications. The high-quality synthesis of eco-friendly QDs and the appropriate surface modification are key to realize their applications. This review summarizes the progress of eco-friendly QDs for biomedical applications, including their designed preparation, optical properties, surface modification, toxicity, and their applications in bioimaging and diagnostics. Finally, the challenges of eco-friendly QDs for future bioimaging and diagnostics application were provided. We believe this review will provide important guidance for promoting the development of eco-friendly QDs in bioimaging and diagnostics.