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Based on the promising development of carbon dots in antibacterial applications, Girard's reagent T-based carbon dots ( GRT-CDs ) with a mean size of 2.41 nm and excellent antibacterial performance were synthesized through a one-step method. The minimum inhibitory concentration of GRT-CDs was 200 μg ml -1 for both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) . The bacterial growth curves showed that the inhibitory effect of GRT-CDs on bacterial multiplication was strongly concentration-dependent. The bactericidal effect of GRT-CDs was further demonstrated by the large differences in bacterial fluorescence staining plots. Zeta potential measurements and scanning electron microscope images indicated that GRT-CDs formed complexes with bacteria, which affected the normal physiological activities of bacteria, causing their rupture and death. In addition, GRT-CDs efficiently inhibited biofilm formation and removed mature biofilms. Furthermore, GRT-CDs also exhibited a remarkable inhibitory activity on MRSA. Cytotoxicity experiments showed that GRT-CDs had good cytocompatibility and even promoted cell proliferation at low concentrations. Therefore, the GRT-CDs obtained from a one-precursor and one-pot synthesis show good prospects for antibacterial applications., (© 2023 IOP Publishing Ltd.)