Sustainable carbon quantum dots synthesized from yeast β-glucan as a promising nanomaterial for biological applications.

ABSTRACT: Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have emerged as eco-friendly nanomaterials with tunable optical properties and biomedical potential. This study aimed to synthesize and characterize phosphorus-doped CQDs from Saccharomyces cerevisiae β-glucan, providing a green, reproducible production route and assessing their physicochemical and biological properties. β-Glucan extracted from yeast cell wall (YCW) was hydrothermally carbonized at 250 °C to yield fluorescent CQDs. Structural, optical, and compositional analyses were conducted using FTIR, XRD, EDX-MAP, TEM, and DLS. The antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic properties were systematically evaluated using standard in vitro assays. The synthesized CQDs exhibited strong π-π* absorption at 201 nm and pH-sensitive blue photolumin

SUBMITTER: Adel FS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12764924 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature