Journal of Fluorescence, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
Single-, dual-, and multi-heteroatoms such as N, S, and B-doped carbon quantum dots (CQ-dots) were prepared to determine their dopant effects on anti-pathogenic activities. The CQ-dots were prepared using maleic acid (MA), poly(vinyl amine) (PVAm), cysteine (Cys), and boric acid (BA) as carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and boron sources, respectively. In 345–415 nm emission wavelength range, 45.9 ± 2.4% quantum yield for dual heteroatom-doped (N/B-doped) CQ-dots were attained. Antimicrobial studies revealed that N-doped CQ-dots have significant antimicrobial susceptibility to both bacteria and fungi. The zeta potential value of N-doped CQDs had -4.9 mV was changed to -9.2 and -11.5 mV upon N/S- and N/B-doping, respectively. N/B-doped CQ-dots afforded the highest antibacterial activity providing a 1.56 mg/mL minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value against Escherichia coli, whereas N/S-doped CQ-dots had the highest antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans yeast, 0.37 mg/mL MIC values. The photodynamic antimicrobial studies of N-, N/S-, N/B-, and N/S/B-doped CQ-dots significantly eradicated the bacteria and fungus colony upon UV-A light exposure for 30 min, with > 50% microbial colonial inhibitions. Both N and N/S-doped CQ-dots exhibit higher biofilm eradication/inhibition efficacy on Candida albicans biofilm, and all CQ-dots are biocompatible according to blood compatibility and cytotoxicity analysis at 1000 μg/mL.