Thermal conversion of Achillea maritima biomass into dual-functional carbon quantum dots for antioxidant activity and methylene blue removal


AYTAR E. C., Durmaz A., Kahyaoğlu İ. M., AKYÜZ E., KARAKUŞ S.

Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, vol.15, no.10, pp.15763-15776, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 15 Issue: 10
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s13399-024-06280-z
  • Journal Name: Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Compendex, INSPEC
  • Page Numbers: pp.15763-15776
  • Keywords: Adsorption, Antioxidant capacity, Biomass, Carbon quantum dot, Thermal conversion
  • Uşak University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Extensive studies have been conducted on multidisciplinary applications of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) in biomedical and environmental science. In this study, we developed a sustainable synthesis for biomass (Achillea maritima (AM) extract) derived-CQDs, incorporating AI-based characterization. We investigated the antioxidant properties and adsorption performance of AM-CQDs against methylene blue (MB). By integrating environmental factors into the optimization, we achieved control over the synthesis of the AM-CQDs. The AM-CQDs demonstrated notable antioxidant capacity with values as follows: CUPRAC assay: 35.76 ± 0.52, ABTS/HRP assay: 21.95 ± 0.31, DPPH assay: 6.13 ± 0.08, and Folin assay: 40.26 ± 0.57. To further assess their antioxidant performance with a comprehensive evaluation, various kinetic model parameters were calculated using the results from the CUPRAC, ABTS/HRP, DPPH, and Folin assays. The adsorption efficiency of the AM-CQDs was evaluated by measuring their capacity to remove MB. The AM-CQDs exhibited remarkable efficiency with a %uptake 64.82, highlighting their potential as an effective adsorbent for MB removal. Overall, this study highlights AM-CQDs’ synthesis and their multifunctional properties as efficient antioxidants and adsorbents for removing MB. The AM-CQDs demonstrate high efficacy in both applications, positioning them as promising candidates for environmental remediation and biomedical applications.