Enhanced antibacterial activity of carbon dots functionalized with ampicillin combined with visible light triggered photodynamic effects.

In the last years, carbon-based nanomaterials have attracted considerable attention in a wide range of fields, particularly in biomedicine, owing to their remarkable photo-physical and chemical properties. In this study, we demonstrate that amine-terminated carbon dots (CDs-NH) functionalized with ampicillin (AMP) offer a new perspective for antibacterial treatment. The amine-functionalized carbon dots were used as a carrier for immobilization and delivery of ampicillin (CDs-AMP) and as a visible light-triggered antibacterial material. Additionally, AMP immobilization on the CDs-NH surface improves its stability in solution as compared to free AMP. The AMP conjugated CDs platform combines the antibacterial function of AMP and conserves the intrinsic theranostic properties of CDs-NH. Therefore, the AMP immobilized onto CDs-NH surface together with the generation of moderate quantities of reactive oxygen species under visible light illumination are very effective to inactivate the growth of Escherichia coli.