Antibacterial Properties of Three-Dimensional Flower Cluster ZIF-L Modified by N-Doped Carbon Dots

Unleashing the antibacterial potential of ZIFs and their derivatives: mechanistic insights

Antibiotic resistance presents an alarming threat to global health, with bacterial infections now ranking among the leading causes of mortality. To address this escalating challenge, strategies such as antibiotic stewardship, development of antimicrobial therapies, and exploration of alternative treatment modalities are imperative. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), acclaimed for their outstanding biocompatibility and in vivo biodegradability, are promising avenues for the synthesis of novel antibiotic agents under mild conditions. Among these, zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), a remarkable subclass of MOFs, have emerged as potent antibacterial materials; the efficacy of which stems from their porous structure, metal ion content, and tunable functionalized groups. This could be further enhanced by incorporating or encapsulating metal ions, such as Cu, Fe, Ti, Ag, and others. This perspective aims to underscore the potential of ZIFs as antibacterial agents and their underlying mechanisms including the release of metal ions, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), disruption of bacterial cell walls, and synergistic interactions with other antibacterial agents. These attributes position ZIFs as promising candidates for advanced applications in combating bacterial infections. Furthermore, we propose a novel approach for synthesizing ZIFs and their derivatives, demonstrating exceptional antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. By highlighting the benefits of ZIFs and their derivatives as antibacterial agents, this perspective emphasizes their potential to address the critical challenge of antibiotic resistance.

l-Cysteine-Modified Carbon Dots Derived from Hibiscus rosa-sinensis for Thiram Pesticides Identification on Edible Perilla Leaves

In this work, environmentally friendly fluorescent carbon dots (C-dots) were developed for the purpose of thiram identification in the leaves of perilla plants. Powdered plant petals from Hibiscus rosa-sinensis were hydrothermally combined to create C-dots. Analytical techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopy, Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy, and photoluminescence were employed to examine the properties of C-dots. To enhance their functionality, an l-cysteine dopant was added to the C-dots. Since this process produces highly soluble C-dots in water, it is simple, inexpensive, and safe. The excitation process and the size of the blue luminescent C-dots both affect their photoluminescent activity. Furthermore, thiram in aqueous solutions was effectively identified by using the generated C-dots. Additionally, the ImageJ program was used to measure the colors red, green, and blue. High-resolution TEM (HR-TEM) revealed that the l-cysteine-doped carbon dots had an average particle size of 2.208 nm. Additionally, the lattice fringes observed in the HRTEM image showed a d-spacing of around 0.285 nm, which nearly corresponds to the (100) lattice plane of graphitic carbon. A Raman spectrum study was also performed to investigate the relationship between carbon dots and pesticides in the actual samples. In the end, thiram levels in perilla leaves with nondoped and doped C-dots could be distinguished with 100% accuracy using the constructed partial least-squares discriminant analysis machine learning model. The information gathered therefore demonstrated that the synthetic C-dots successfully and efficiently provide rapid and sensitive detection of hazardous pesticides in edible plant products.