Due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, many rapid antimicrobial agents have developed intensively. Carbon dots (CDs), a new type of carbon‐based nanomaterials, shows great potential against emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial‐resistant infections due to their unique optical properties, excellent biocompatibility, and easy surface modification. With the definition of the CDs structure and properties, synthesis, and characteristic technology improvement, the research on the CDs as antimicrobial agents has made significant progress. However, the lack of high repeatable and exact preparation methods, and the regular antimicrobial activity make it far from practical application. In this review, we summarize the most recent progress and challenges of CDs antimicrobial. First, an overview of the characteristics and properties is given, and the advantage of CDs applied to antimicrobial is further discussed. Then, it focuses on research progress on antimicrobial mechanisms under different conditions, the critical factors affecting their antimicrobial activity, and the practical antimicrobial applications. Finally, the main challenges and future research perspectives of antimicrobial CDs are proposed.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/smm2.1131

Recent advances of carbon dots as new antimicrobial agents

Antimicrobial resistance is a recognized global challenge. Tools for bacterial detection can combat antimicrobial resistance by facilitating evidence-based antibiotic prescribing, thus avoiding their overprescription, which contributes to the spread of resistance. Unfortunately, traditional culture-based identification methods take at least a day, while emerging alternatives are limited by high cost and a requirement for skilled operators. Moreover, photodynamic inactivation of bacteria promoted by photosensitisers could be considered as one of the most promising strategies in the fight against multidrug resistance pathogens. In this context, carbon dots (CDs) have been identified as a promising class of photosensitiser nanomaterials for the specific detection and inactivation of different bacterial species. CDs possess exceptional and tuneable chemical and photoelectric properties that make them excellent candidates for antibacterial theranostic applications, such as great chemical stability, high water solubility, low toxicity and excellent biocompatibility. In this review, we will summarize the most recent advances on the use of CDs as antimicrobial agents, including the most commonly used methodologies for CD and CD/composites syntheses and their antibacterial properties in both in vitro and in vivo models developed in the last 3 years.

Carbon Dots as an Emergent Class of Antimicrobial Agents

The nontoxic characteristics and inherent antibacterial potency of Carbon dots (CDs) have earned immense attention in the last few years. As the increasing antibiotic resistance of bacterial strains create critical health risks, replacement of conventional antibiotics with alternative antibacterial agents is highly encouraged. The light-driven antibacterial action CDs is a safe process with minimal side effects. Direct interaction of CDs with bacterial cells also contribute to the overall antibacterial activity. Unique and complex mechanisms of antibacterial activity of CDs involve ROS generation, degeneration of cell structure, and leakage of the cytoplasm because of DNA binding and modulation of gene expression. This review provides a systematic overview of the antibacterial potency of CDs to eradicate Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Various mechanisms of antibacterial activity and factors that contribute to antibacterial action of CDs also discussed. It also highlights the synergistic effects on the antibacterial performance of modified CDs and significant future research concerns.

Antibacterial Efficiency of Carbon dots Against Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria: A Review

Carbon dots enhanced gelatin/chitosan bio-nanocomposite packaging film for perishable foods

The increase in antibiotic resistance promotes the situation of developing new antibiotics at a forefront, while the development of non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals is equally significant. In the post-antibiotic era, nanomaterials with high antibacterial efficiency and no drug resistance, make them attractive candidates for antibacterial materials. Carbon dots (CDs), as a kind of carbon-based zero-dimensional nanomaterials, are attracting much attention for their multifunctional properties. The abundant surface states, tunable photoexcited states, and excellent photo-electron transfer properties make sterilization of CDs feasible and gradually emerge in the antibacterial field. This review provides comprehensive insights into the recent development of CDs in the antibacterial field. The topics include mechanisms, design, and optimization processes, and their potential practical applications are also highlighted, such as treatment of bacterial infections, against bacterial biofilms, antibacterial surfaces, food preservation, and bacteria imaging and detection. Meanwhile, the challenges and outlook of CDs in the antibacterial field are discussed and proposed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Antibacterial Carbon Dots: Mechanisms, Design, and Applications.

Discovering efficient antibacterial materials is crucial in the area of increasing drug resistance. Herein, we synthesized carbon dots (C-dots) with superior antibacterial activity through a simple...

One-Step and One-Precursor Hydrothermal Synthesis of Carbon Dots with Superior Antibacterial Activity

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One-Step and One-Precursor Hydrothermal Synthesis of Carbon Dots with Superior Antibacterial Activity