Inorganic nanoparticles might have played a vital role in the transition from inorganic chemistry to self-sustaining living systems. Such transition may have been triggered or controlled by processes requiring not only versatile catalysts but also suitable reaction surfaces. Here, experimental results showing that multicolor quantum dots might have been able to participate as catalysts in several specific and nonspecific reactions, relevant to the prebiotic chemistry are demonstrated. A very fast and easy UV-induced formation of ZnCd quantum dots (QDs) with a quantum yield of up to 47% was shown to occur 5 min after UV exposure of the solution containing Zn(II) and Cd(II) in the presence of a thiol capping agent. In addition to QDs formation, xanthine activity was observed in the solution. The role of solar radiation to induce ZnCd QDs formation was replicated during a stratospheric balloon flight.

Central European Institute of Technology Brno University of Technology Purkynova 123 CZ 612 00 Brno Czech Republic

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Mendel University in Brno Zemedelska 1 CZ 613 00 Brno Czech Republic

Department of Chemistry Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Tirana Blv Zog 1 Nr 2 1 1001 Tirana Albania

J Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry Czech Academy of Sciences Dolejskova 3 182 23 Prague 8 Czech Republic

Materials Research Centre Faculty of Chemistry Brno University of Technology Purkynova 118 612 00 Brno Czech Republic

Slovak Organisation for Space Activities Zamocka 5 811 03 Bratislava Slovakia

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Enhanced UV-C resistance through light-activated zinc-cysteine complex formation

UV-induced Zn:Cd/S quantum dots in-situ formed in the presence of thiols for sensitive and selective fluorescence detection of thiols