Antifungal Performance and Mechanisms of Carbon Quantum Dots in Cellulosic Materials

Cellulosic materials, which are widely utilized in daily life, are highly susceptible to fungal degradation. However, commercial fungicides are usually toxic, posing severe threats to human health and the environment, highlighting the necessity of developing eco-friendly antifungal agents for cellulosic materials. In this work, we synthesized nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (CQDs) via a microwave-assisted method. CQDs with proper structure demonstrated significant antifungal effects against both brown-rot (Postia placenta, Pp) and white-decay fungi (Trametes versicolor, Tv) on various cellulosic materials. The underlying antifungal mechanisms of CQDs on cellulosic materials were further elucidated. We found that positively charged nanosized CQDs primarily adhered to and penetrated into fungal cell membranes. This led to fungal metabolism disorder, a significant reduction in enzymatic activities, and ultimately cell death, as confirmed by transcriptome analysis. Additionally, CQDs generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) under light, causing oxidation and dysfunction of the fungal cell wall. Furthermore, CQDs have the ability to chelate Fe³⁺, which results in the inhibition of the Fenton reaction and the hindering of the nonenzymatic cellulose degradation. These findings suggest that CQDs inhibit fungal degradation of cellulosic materials through integrated mechanisms, with potential implications for sustainable cellulose applications.