Triple effective water treatment agent: P(AA/AMPS) capped sulfur quantum dots boast remarkable antiscale, antibacterial, and real-time tracking capabilities

Recent research has explored nanomaterials as sustainable scale inhibitors for water treatment. This research specifically delved into the development of environmentally benign antimicrobial sulfur quantum dot scale inhibitors (P(AA/AMPS)-SQDs) by capping P(AA/AMPS) with varying molecular weights. The synthesized P(AA/AMPS)-SQDs underwent thorough characterization employing high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and zeta potential analysis. The inhibitory efficacy of P(AA/AMPS)-SQDs on calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) and calcium sulfate (CaSO₄) scale formation was conducted under diverse conditions, including scale inhibitor concentration, reaction time, temperature, and pH using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction techniques. Remarkably, the water agent P(AA/AMPS)-SQDs showcased exceptional fluorescence, water solubility, and resilience to high temperatures. At specified concentrations, P(AA/AMPS)-SQDs demonstrated remarkable inhibition efficiencies, with over 98 % inhibition against the CaCO₃ scale at 20 mg/L and over 97 % inhibition against the CaSO₄ scale at 0.5 mg/L, significantly outperforming traditional scale inhibitors. Furthermore, P(AA/AMPS)-SQDs exhibited almost 100 % inhibition efficiency against Bacillus subtilis at a dosage of 150 mg/L. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulation and quantum chemical calculations were employed to clarify the scale inhibition mechanisms of P(AA/AMPS)-SQDs. This multifunctional water treatment agent, integrating scale inhibition, antimicrobial properties, and online monitoring capabilities, lays a solid foundation for potential applications in engineering domains.