Carbon dots in the generation of reactive oxygen species for antibacterial therapy: advances and challenges

within bacterial cells through multiple pathways. This review provides a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the diverse antibacterial strategies enabled by CDs through ROS generation. We categorize and discuss these strategies based on their activation mechanisms: non-irradiation-dependent methods and light- or ultrasound (US)-mediated approaches. By examining the design principles, functional mechanisms, and potential applications of these CD-based ROS generators, this review aims to offer valuable insights and inspire the future development of innovative, efficient, and targeted ROS-mediated antibacterial platforms.