Facile and green synthesis of multifunctional nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots from Ginkgo biloba leaves for antibacterial, antioxidant, and bioactive coating applications
As the demand for sustainable and functional food packaging increases, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have demonstrated immense potential for incorporation into biopolymer-based active packaging and coatings. We report a green and sustainable hydrothermal approach for the synthesis of surface-passivat...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025
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| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/119679/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/119679/1/119679.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848868036177559552 |
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| author | Singh, Ajit Kumar Itkor, Pontree Zainal Abedin, Nur Hanani Lee, Myungho Gaikwad, Kirtiraj K. Lee, Youn Suk |
| author_facet | Singh, Ajit Kumar Itkor, Pontree Zainal Abedin, Nur Hanani Lee, Myungho Gaikwad, Kirtiraj K. Lee, Youn Suk |
| author_sort | Singh, Ajit Kumar |
| building | UPM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | As the demand for sustainable and functional food packaging increases, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have
demonstrated immense potential for incorporation into biopolymer-based active packaging and coatings. We
report a green and sustainable hydrothermal approach for the synthesis of surface-passivated nitrogen-doped
carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) using Ginkgo biloba leaves as a renewable carbon precursor. Polyethylene glycol
(PEG) acted as a passivating agent, yielding N-CQDs with strong cyan fluorescence, excitation-dependent
emission, and high aqueous solubility. The synthesized N-CQDs exhibited remarkable monodispersity
(2.4 ±0.72 nm), a surface charge of − 15.1 mV, and a fluorescence quantum yield of 9.69 %. The radical
scavenging efficiency of N-CQDs was notably improved, achieving 72.26 % for DPPH and 96.97 % for ABTS,
indicating their strong antioxidant functionality. Inhibition zones of 16 mm against E. coli and 18 mm against S.
aureus confirmed their antimicrobial efficacy. Cytotoxicity tests confirmed that the prepared N-CQDs were non-
toxic to L929 cells even at a higher concentration of 500 μg/mL. N-CQDs incorporated within CMC-based
coatings displayed significant antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, successfully inhibiting fungal growth
and prolonging mandarin storage life over 15 days. These findings highlight the potential of N-CQDs as sustainable,
biocompatible, and versatile nanomaterials, offering improved functionality in active food packaging
applications. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T14:46:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | upm-119679 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T14:46:00Z |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | upm-1196792025-09-08T01:02:30Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/119679/ Facile and green synthesis of multifunctional nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots from Ginkgo biloba leaves for antibacterial, antioxidant, and bioactive coating applications Singh, Ajit Kumar Itkor, Pontree Zainal Abedin, Nur Hanani Lee, Myungho Gaikwad, Kirtiraj K. Lee, Youn Suk As the demand for sustainable and functional food packaging increases, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have demonstrated immense potential for incorporation into biopolymer-based active packaging and coatings. We report a green and sustainable hydrothermal approach for the synthesis of surface-passivated nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) using Ginkgo biloba leaves as a renewable carbon precursor. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) acted as a passivating agent, yielding N-CQDs with strong cyan fluorescence, excitation-dependent emission, and high aqueous solubility. The synthesized N-CQDs exhibited remarkable monodispersity (2.4 ±0.72 nm), a surface charge of − 15.1 mV, and a fluorescence quantum yield of 9.69 %. The radical scavenging efficiency of N-CQDs was notably improved, achieving 72.26 % for DPPH and 96.97 % for ABTS, indicating their strong antioxidant functionality. Inhibition zones of 16 mm against E. coli and 18 mm against S. aureus confirmed their antimicrobial efficacy. Cytotoxicity tests confirmed that the prepared N-CQDs were non- toxic to L929 cells even at a higher concentration of 500 μg/mL. N-CQDs incorporated within CMC-based coatings displayed significant antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, successfully inhibiting fungal growth and prolonging mandarin storage life over 15 days. These findings highlight the potential of N-CQDs as sustainable, biocompatible, and versatile nanomaterials, offering improved functionality in active food packaging applications. Elsevier 2025 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/119679/1/119679.pdf Singh, Ajit Kumar and Itkor, Pontree and Zainal Abedin, Nur Hanani and Lee, Myungho and Gaikwad, Kirtiraj K. and Lee, Youn Suk (2025) Facile and green synthesis of multifunctional nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots from Ginkgo biloba leaves for antibacterial, antioxidant, and bioactive coating applications. Food Packaging and Shelf Life, 51. art. no. 101581. pp. 1-12. ISSN 2214-2894 https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2214289425001516 10.1016/j.fpsl.2025.101581 |
| spellingShingle | Singh, Ajit Kumar Itkor, Pontree Zainal Abedin, Nur Hanani Lee, Myungho Gaikwad, Kirtiraj K. Lee, Youn Suk Facile and green synthesis of multifunctional nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots from Ginkgo biloba leaves for antibacterial, antioxidant, and bioactive coating applications |
| title | Facile and green synthesis of multifunctional nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots from Ginkgo biloba leaves for antibacterial, antioxidant, and bioactive coating applications |
| title_full | Facile and green synthesis of multifunctional nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots from Ginkgo biloba leaves for antibacterial, antioxidant, and bioactive coating applications |
| title_fullStr | Facile and green synthesis of multifunctional nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots from Ginkgo biloba leaves for antibacterial, antioxidant, and bioactive coating applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Facile and green synthesis of multifunctional nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots from Ginkgo biloba leaves for antibacterial, antioxidant, and bioactive coating applications |
| title_short | Facile and green synthesis of multifunctional nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots from Ginkgo biloba leaves for antibacterial, antioxidant, and bioactive coating applications |
| title_sort | facile and green synthesis of multifunctional nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots from ginkgo biloba leaves for antibacterial, antioxidant, and bioactive coating applications |
| url | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/119679/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/119679/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/119679/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/119679/1/119679.pdf |