Graphene Quantum Dots-Band-Aids Used for Wound Disinfection

TLDR

Converting H₂O₂ to hydroxyl radicals enhances antibacterial efficacy while reducing toxicity, enabling safer wound disinfection. The study proposes an antibacterial system that combines graphene quantum dots with low‑dose H₂O₂. GQDs act as peroxidase‑like catalysts, decomposing H₂O₂ to produce hydroxyl radicals. The GQD‑H₂O₂ system markedly enhances antibacterial activity, killing both Gram‑negative and Gram‑positive bacteria in vitro and demonstrating excellent efficacy in vivo wound disinfection.

Abstract

Herein, an antibacterial system combining the "safe" carbon nanomaterials, graphene quantum dots (GQDs), with a low level of H2O2 has been put forward. It has been found that the peroxidase-like activity of GQDs originates from their ability to catalyze the decomposition of H2O2, generating ·OH. Since the ·OH has a higher antibacterial activity, the conversion of H2O2 into ·OH improves the antibacterial performance of H2O2, which makes it possible to avoid the toxicity of H2O2 at high levels in wound disinfection. All the experiments in vitro display that this intrinsic activity exerts a high enhancement of antibacterial activity of H2O2, and the designed system possessed broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria. More importantly, to assess the antibacterial efficacy of the designed system in actual wound disinfection, the GQD-Band-Aids are prepared and show excellent antibacterial property with the assistance of H2O2 at low dose in vivo.