Carbon Dot-Based Biosensors for Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Point-of-Care Devices: Advancements, Challenges, and Future Prospects

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is crucial for managing diabetes and food/pharmaceutical quality control because of the clinical and industrial relevance of glucose. Various electrochemical and optical techniques have been explored for the detection of glucose. Carbon dots (CDs), nanomaterials with high surface areas and active sites, show promise as nanozymes for CGM because of their tunable size, shape, and surface properties. This review critically evaluates the impact of CD oxidation states and surface residues on the sensitivity and selectivity of CGM. CD nanocomposites incorporating metals, metal oxides, and metal sulfides were also assessed. Special focus is placed on advancing the performance of next-generation CGM systems in terms of efficiency and reliability. The interactions between CDs and various composite configurations were examined to identify opportunities for enhancing current CGM technologies. This comprehensive analysis of the evolving biosensor landscape aims to provide insights that support innovation in glucose monitoring for patient care and industrial applications.