Researchers use carbon nanoparticles from cellulose as sensor material
(PHYSorg.com Chemistry)

By synthesizing carbon nanoparticles from sugar and a source of cellulose such as newspapers, researchers in the UPV/EHU`s Department of Physical Chemistry have developed a material that could be used as a sensor as its components respond to stimuli. For example, the fluorescence of carbon nanoparticles has been found to increase or diminish in the presence of different metals, so they could be used as materials for detection.