Synthesis and properties of carbon quantum dots as an antimicrobial agent and detection of ciprofloxacin

作者：Fan Shen, Zhaoyang Lu, Kangli Yan, Kang Luo, Shuchen Pei, Xiang Pu · 发表于：Scientific Reports · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1038/s41598-025-14383-4 · 被引用次数：17 · 研究领域：Carbon and Quantum Dots Applications、Nanocluster Synthesis and Applications、Quantum Dots Synthesis And Properties

This work reports a novel one-pot hydrothermal synthesis of N-CQDs using Solanum nigrum L. as sustainable carbon source and triethylamine as nitrogen provider. The resulting N-CQDs were systematically characterized with TEM, SEM, FT-IR, XPS, XRD, and UV-Visible. Significantly, the N-CQDs exhibited substantial antimicrobial efficacy against both S. aureus and E. coli bacterial strains, with minimum inhibitory concentration values of 1.2 mg/mL and 1.1 mg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the N-CQDs demonstrated pronounced fluorescence enhancement upon interaction with ciprofloxacin, displaying exceptional selectivity and sensitivity, with a calculated LOD of 316 nM. The feasibility of employing N-CQDs as fluorescent probes for ciprofloxacin detection was systematically validated through practical application in honey analysis. This study introduces a novel approach for the fabrication of N-CQDs derived from natural botanical sources, underscoring their potential dual functionality as fluorescent sensors and antimicrobial materials.