Carbon dots, an emerging class within the carbon allotrope family, have gained significant attention largely due to their versatile and tunable physico-chemical and optical properties.

Nitrogen-doping of carbon dots enhances their photoluminescent properties but not all amines passivate the surface equally. Indeed, the chemical makeup of the passivating agent is critical in tailoring the physico-chemical and optical properties of carbon dots.

Chiral carbon dots, prepared from the unnatural d-enantiomer of cysteine, inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and MG1655 at a lower concentration than l-carbon dots, prepared from the l-enantiomer.