Biogenic amines modified carbon quantum dots as antibacterial agent

Abstract

An alternative to conventional way is needed to treat multiple drug resistant bacteria. In this work, four different amine modified carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were obtained by microwave irradiation treatment. The four different biogenic amines (spermidine, putrescine, cadaverine, and histamine) as capping agent and citric acid as a carbon precursor were used. Prepared CQDs were evaluated for their antibacterial activity against three common pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus), and the growth curves were modeled. The CQDs showed a strong broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. The bactericidal activity was linked to their specific surface chemistry and caused bacterial death, which was due to the electrostatic interactions between protonated CQDs and the lipids of the bacterial cell membrane. The biocompatibility of CQDs was tested in HBL100 and HEK293 cell lines and low or absence of toxicity was indicated.An alternative to conventional way is needed to treat multiple drug resistant bacteria. In this work, four different amine modified carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were obtained by microwave irradiation treatment. The four different biogenic amines (spermidine, putrescine, cadaverine, and histamine) as capping agent and citric acid as a carbon precursor were used. Prepared CQDs were evaluated for their antibacterial activity against three common pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus), and the growth curves were modeled. The CQDs showed a strong broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. The bactericidal activity was linked to their specific surface chemistry and caused bacterial death, which was due to the electrostatic interactions between protonated CQDs and the lipids of the bacterial cell membrane. The biocompatibility of CQDs was tested in HBL100 and HEK293 cell lines and low or absence of toxicity was indicated.