CDWatch as a Comprehensive Assessment Tool for Carbon Quantum Dot Performance and Sustainability

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are increasingly used in sensing, bioimaging, catalysis, remediation, and optoelectronics, yet heterogeneous reporting makes cross-study comparison difficult. CDWatch is a transparent screening and benchmarking framework integrating eight performance, safety, sustainability, and practicality dimensions: quantum yield, particle size distribution, synthesis yield, stability, biocompatibility/toxicity, functional efficiency, synthesis greenness, and feasibility. Each reported item is scored from 1 to 3 using explicit preliminary thresholds and weights. Composite indicators are aggregated uniformly by the arithmetic mean. Missing or untested information is recorded as not reported and excluded from the numerical denominator, while a separate weighted data-coverage percentage prevents sparse evidence from appearing equivalent to complete characterization. The eight weights sum to 24, and the maximum fully reported weighted raw total is 72; the final CDWatch result is a normalized percentage. The framework distinguishes dimensionless DLS polydispersity index from TEM relative standard deviation, anchors cytotoxicity to an application-matched concentration, and applies domain-specific functional criteria. Application to seven published examples illustrates the calculation and its missing data safeguards. Sensitivity analysis showed unchanged numerical ordering under equal weighting conditions. Because data coverage was incomplete, these case results are presented as methodological demonstrations and should not be interpreted as definitive comparative rankings. A pilot rescoring exercise by three researchers produced 97.6% exact three-way agreement, Fleiss’ κ = 0.977, and an absolute agreement case score ICC(2,1) of 0.945.