{
  "abstract": "Carbon dots (CDs) derived from sustainable precursors offer significant potential for multifunctional biomedical applications. In this study, pistachio shell waste was converted into CDs via a rapid microwave-assisted green synthesis, affording a purified-product mass recovery of 85.0 ± 0.8% after 5 min of microwave irradiation. The obtained nanoparticles (~5 nm) exhibited partial graphitization and oxygen-rich surface functionalities, as confirmed by TEM, FTIR, XPS, and Raman analyses, along with excellent aqueous dispersibility and excitation-dependent blue photoluminescence with a maximum emission at ~450 nm. The CDs showed a fluorescence quantum yield of ~17.2% and an average fluorescence lifetime of ~3.6 ns. Strong antioxidant activity was demonstrated through DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays, with IC 50 values of 38.40 ± 0.30 μg/mL and 35.10 ± 0.90 μg/mL, respectively, together with effective suppression of intracellular reactive oxygen species under oxidative stress conditions. Cytotoxicity analysis revealed high biocompatibility toward L929 fibroblasts (>97% viability at 100 μg/mL) and dose-dependent cytotoxicity in Neuro-2a cells, accompanied by mitochondrial membrane depolarization, suggesting an association between the cytotoxic response and altered mitochondrial function. Additionally, the CDs exhibited effective antibacterial activity against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus , as confirmed through MIC, CFU, and antibiofilm assays. Overall, this study demonstrates a rapid and eco-friendly strategy for converting pistachio shell waste into high-value carbon nanomaterials with multifunctional optical and biological properties.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Chemistry, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Anantapur, 515001, India; Corresponding author.",
    "Department of Biosciences, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Anantapur, 515001, India",
    "Department of Biosciences, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam, 515134, India",
    "Corporate R&D Center, HLL Life Care Limited, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695017, India",
    "Advanced Functional Materials Division, CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695019, India"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
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        0
      ],
      "name": "Raji V. Nair"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "E.M. Ramya"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Balaram Khamari"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "J. Parvathy"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Saju Pillai"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6xg4bdwr2d35e.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1016/j.rechem.2026.104001",
  "fulltext_url": "http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211715626009756",
  "id": "6xg4bdwr2d35e",
  "issns": [
    "2211-7156"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rechem.2026.104001",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
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      "lcc",
      "QD1-999"
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      "2505|Carbon and Quantum Dots Applications"
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  "openalex": "W7223249111",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-30",
  "publisher": "Elsevier",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6xg4bdwr2d35e.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T13:47:18Z",
      "native_id": "3758bae8ffcf4bd7a2da1beaf15fccd8",
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      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rechem.2026.104001"
    }
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:2505|Carbon and Quantum Dots Applications",
      "subfield": "materials-polymers"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Microwave-assisted green synthesis of pistachio shell-derived carbon dots for antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial applications",
  "title_text": "Microwave-assisted green synthesis of pistachio shell-derived carbon dots for antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial applications",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T13:47:18Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/6xg4bdwr2d35e",
  "venue": "Results in Chemistry",
  "versions": []
}