2-AP	2-aminopyridine
AA	Ascorbic acid
AcD	Arc discharge
AEAPMS	N-(β-aminoethyl)-γ-aminopropyl methyl dimethoxysilane
AFM	Atomic force microscopy
Ag	Silver element
AgNP	Silver nanoparticles
AMP	Ampicillin
Au	Gold
BBr3	Boron tribromide
Ca	Calcium
Ca	Citric acid monohydrate
Cd	Cadmium
CD or C-dots	Carbon dots
CD-CH	Carbon dots-chitosan
Cm	Centimeters
CMCDs	Cow-milk-derived carbon dots
CNPs	Carbon nanoparticles
CNTs	Carbon nanotubes
CQD	Crystalline carbon core
Cu	Copper
Cys	Cysteine
DD	Drug discovery
DEG	Diethylene glycol
DMF	Dimethylformamide
DNA	Deoxyribonucleic acid
ECE	Electrochemical exfoliation
FCD	Fluorescent carbon dots
Fe3O4	Iron oxide
FG	Functional groups
HAuCl4	Hydrogen tetrachloroaurate(III) hydrate
Hg	Mercury
HPPT	4-hydroxy-1H-pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyridine-1,3,6(2H,5H)-trione
HT	Hydrothermal
IPCA	Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-7-carboxylic acid
LA	Laser ablation
LED	Light-emitting diode
MIC	Minimum inhibitory concentration
MnO2	Manganese dioxide
MWCNTs	Multi-walled carbon nanotubes
NaNH2	Sodium amide
NaOH	Sodium hydroxide
Ni	Nickel
Nm	Nanometers
NPs	Nanoparticles
NR-CDs	Nitrogen-rich blue, fluorescent carbon dots
OPD	O-phenylenediamine
PAHs	Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
PD	Polymer dots
PEG	Polyethylene glycol
pH	Potential of hydrogen
PL	Photoluminescence
PNSCDs	Pseudomonas aeruginosa
PPEIE	Poly (propionyl ethylene-imine-ethyleneimine)
PPEI-EI	Poly (propionylethyleneimine-co-ethyleneimine
Pt	Platinum
PVA	Polyvinyl alcohol
QCE	Quantum confinement effect
QD	Quantum dots
QY	Quantum yield
RB	Rose Bengal (RB)
ROS	Reactive oxygen species
Rpm	Rotations per minute
SC	Sodium citrate
Se	Selenium
Si	Silicon
SiCl4	Silicon tetrachloride
SWCNTs	Single-wall carbon nanotubes
Tarp	Tryptophan
TEM	Transmission electron microscopy
TETA	Triethylenetetramine
TiO2	Titanium dioxide
TTDDA	4, 7, 10-trioxa-1,13-tridecanediamine
UA	Uric acid
UV-Vis	Ultraviolet visible light
XRD	X-ray diffraction
Zn	Zinc