Green carbon dots derived from honey, garlic, and carrot: Synthesis, characterization, and antibacterial properties

In recent years, carbon dots have attracted significant attention from researchers because of their simplicity of synthesis, stability against light, water solubility, abundance of polar groups on their surface, low cost, and environmental compatibility. This study focused on synthesizing carbon dots from honey, garlic, and carrot using a green method and evaluated their antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The synthesis and characterization of carbon dots were confirmed using different methods. The carbon dots exhibited a graphite-like structure with spherical shapes and an average size of 30 nm. Antibacterial efficacy was assessed using agar well diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) methods. Honey-derived carbon dots exhibited the most potent antibacterial activity, with the lowest MIC and MBC (1.8 mg/mL) against both bacteria. Inhibition zones for honey carbon dots ranged from 31 to 34 mm for E. coli and 35 to 40 mm for S. aureus. No significant change in antibacterial properties was observed for carrot carbon dots, whereas for garlic carbon dots, the antibacterial effect decreased. Data analysis using ANOVA and descriptive statistics (p < 0.05) indicated significant bactericidal effects for all three types of carbon dots. Honey-derived carbon dots exhibited notable antibacterial properties, suggesting their potential for environment-friendly disinfectant development with minimal environmental impact.