Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are novel fluorescent nanomaterials for applications in diverse areas. With the rapid developments in past decade, the toxicity and environmental safety of CQDs have aroused great interest. In this study, we evaluated the toxicity and impact of CQDs to white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium, an important fungus for carbon cycle that degrades lignin. Red emissive CQDs slightly stimulated the growth of P. chrysosporium at 50 and 100 μg/mL. CQD aggregates heterogeneously distributed in fungus balls, where the tightly contacted mycelia lost their fibrous structure. Cell wall damage and the detachment of membrane were observed in ultrastructural investigations. CQDs did not affect the laccase and manganese peroxidase activities of P. chrysosporium. The decomposition activity of P. chrysosporium kept unchanged by CQDs according to dye decoloration, sawdust weight loss, and sawdust lignin content. CQDs initiated the protective pathways of P. chrysosporium against oxidative stress, leading to the increases of glutathione and catalase levels and the decreases of malondialdehyde and H₂O₂ levels. The fluorescence quenching of CQDs in P. chrysosporium implied the biotransformation of CQDs during the one-month incubation. Our results collectively suggested that CQDs were of low toxicity and environmental impacts to white rot fungi.

碳量子点（CQDs）是用于各种领域的新型荧光纳米材料。随着近十年的快速发展，CQD的毒性和环境安全引起了人们的极大兴趣。在这项研究中，我们评估了CQDs对白腐真菌Phanerochaete chrysosporium的毒性和影响，Phanerochaete chrysosporium是降解木质素的碳循环的重要真菌。红色发光CQDs稍微刺激的生长黄孢原毛平革在50和100微克/毫升。CQD聚集体异质分布在真菌球中，紧密接触的菌丝体失去了其纤维结构。在超微结构研究中观察到细胞壁损伤和膜分离。CQD不影响漆酶和锰过氧化物酶的活性金黄色葡萄球菌。根据染料脱色，木屑失重和木屑木质素含量，CQDs对金孢假单胞菌的分解活性保持不变。CQDs启动了金孢假单胞菌对氧化应激的保护途径，导致谷胱甘肽和过氧化氢酶水平升高，丙二醛和H ₂ O ₂水平降低。荧光淬CQDs的黄孢原毛平革一个月的孵育过程中隐含CQDs的生物转化。我们的研究结果共同表明，CQD对白腐真菌的毒性低且对环境没有影响。