Carbon nanomaterials in microbial sensing and bactericidal applications

The spread of antimicrobial resistance and lesser development of new antibiotics have intensified the search for new antimicrobial and diagnostic vehicles. Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs), which broadly include carbon dots, carbon nanotubes, and graphene/graphene oxide nanostructures, have emerged as promising theranostic materials exhibiting, in many instances, potent antibacterial activities and diagnostic capabilities. Ease of synthesis, tunable physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, and diverse modes of action make CNMs a powerful class of theranostic nanomaterials. This review discusses recent studies illuminating innovative new CNMs and their applications in bacterial theranostics. We particularly emphasize the relationship between the structural parameters and overall chemical properties of CNMs and their biological impact and utilization. Overall, the expanding work on the development and use of CNMs in therapeutic, sensing, and diagnostic applications in the microbial world underscores the considerable potential of these nanomaterials.