Carbon dots in environmental treatment and protection applications

Carbon dots (CDs) have recently received much attention due to their superior properties, such as quantum-sized, strong light absorption, tunable luminescence with high quantum yield, excellent ability to donate and accept electrons, high biocompatibility, low toxicity, and environmental friendliness. CDs have been applied in energy conversion and storage, photovoltaic, biomedical, environmental treatment, etc. Note that with the rapid development in the field of environmental treatment and protection, the recently updated CDs synthesis and applications are extremely urgent. In this progress report, we sketch recent achievements in the synthesis and applications of CDs in the field of environmental treatment and protection, including pollutant detection, adsorption, degradation, solar-to-steam generation system, separation membranes, and antibacterial and antifungal. Furthermore, future opportunities and difficulties in developing CDs applications in solving environmental issues are also discussed.