Medicinal plants yield carbon nanoparticles that glow red and flag toxic metals

What do iron, lead and nickel have in common? These heavy metals are an indispensable part of many industries. However, they also share a dark reality: They are serious environmental and public health threats. Every day, they find their way into the atmosphere and water bodies through industrial activities, mining and urban waste. Heavy metals are highly toxic, do not break down naturally and tend to build up in the tissues of living organisms over time.