Synthesis of carbon dots as an antibacterial and antioxidant agent

Objective: A new type of antibacterial and antioxidant carbon dots has been discovered.Methods: In this study, a facile one-step hydrothermal method was employed to synthesize carbon dots (CDs) using Yongchuan Xiuya as the precursor.Results: The morphology and chemical composition of the synthesized CDs were systematically characterized. The resulting doped carbon quantum dots (CDs) exhibited a spherical shape with an average particle size of 4.17 nm and a lattice spacing of 0.22 nm. The CDs demonstrated exceptional antioxidant and antibacterial properties, showing significant antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive (S. aureus) and Gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria, with minimum inhibitory concentration values of 0.62 mg/mL and 0.85 mg/mL, respectively. Mechanistic studies revealed that bacterial cell death likely results from strong electrostatic interactions between the negatively charged bacterial surfaces and the positively charged CDs.Conclusion: This work presents a cost-effective and eco-friendly approach to producing carbon dots with dual functionality as both antibacterial and antioxidant agents.