abstract
- Our work describes the surface modification of carbon dots (CDs) synthesized by hydrothermal method from natural sources and their potential viricidal activity. A mix of Aloe/green tea/lemon juice extract was compared with strawberry/ginger, obtaining semispherical CDs of ca. 6 nm, with a high excitation-emission peak associated with the characteristic blue fluorescent CDs solution. The chemical composition of the metabolites present in the extracts generates the formation of O and N species, suggesting the formation of C-OH, C = O, O-C = O, C-N, and N-H bonds. As a result, the viricidal activity of CDs was demonstrated against Herpes simplex and SARS-CoV-2 viruses, obtaining eco-friendly and low-cost antimicrobial CDs with potential biomedical applications. © 2024