Nanoarchitectonics of Bimetallic Cu-/Co-Doped Nitrogen-Carbon Nanozyme-Functionalized Hydrogel with NIR-Responsive Phototherapy for Synergistic Mitigation of Drug-Resistant Bacterial Infections

Superbug infections and transmission have become major challenges in the contemporary medical field. The development of novel antibacterial strategies to efficiently treat bacterial infections and conquer the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is extremely important. In this paper, a bimetallic CuCo-doped nitrogen-carbon nanozyme-functionalized hydrogel (CuCo/NC-HG) has been successfully constructed. It exhibits photoresponsive-enhanced enzymatic effects under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation (808 nm) with strong peroxidase (POD)-like and oxidase (OXD)-like activities. Upon NIR irradiation, CuCo/NC-HG possesses photodynamic activity for producing singlet oxygen(1O2), and it also has a high photothermal conversion effect, which not only facilitates the elimination of bacteria but also improves the efficiency of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and accelerates the consumption of GSH. CuCo/NC-HG shows a lower hemolytic rate and better cytocompatibility than CuCo/NC and possesses a positive charge and macroporous skeleton for restricting negatively charged bacteria in the range of ROS destruction, strengthening the antibacterial efficiency. Comparatively, CuCo/NC and CuCo/NC-HG have stronger bactericidal ability against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and ampicillin-resistant Escherichia coli (AmprE. coli) through destroying the cell membranes with a negligible occurrence of AMR. More importantly, CuCo/NC-HG plus NIR irradiation can exhibit satisfactory bactericidal performance in the absence of H2O2, avoiding the toxicity from high-concentration H2O2. In vivo evaluation has been conducted using a mouse wound infection model and histological analyses, and the results show that CuCo/NC-HG upon NIR irradiation can efficiently suppress bacterial infections and promote wound healing, without causing inflammation and tissue adhesions.

Enhanced peroxidase-like activity of 2(3), 9(10), 16(17), 23(24)-octamethoxyphthalocyanine modified CoFe LDH for a sensor array for reducing substances with catechol structure

Improving the catalytic activity of artificial nanozymes to realize the real-time detection of small molecules becomes an important task. Herein, a highly active nanozyme, 2(3), 9(10), 16(17), 23(24)-octamethoxyphthalocyanine (Pc(OH)₈) modified CoFe LDH microspheres (Pc(OH)₈-CoFe LDH) have been prepared by the two-step hydrothermal method. The 3,3',5,5'-tetramylbenzidine (TMB), a chromogenic substrate, was fast oxidized into blue oxTMB by H₂O₂ in the presence of Pc(OH)₈-CoFe LDH, indicating that Pc(OH)₈-CoFe LDH possesses high peroxidase-like activity rather than pure CoFe LDH. The enhancement peroxidase-like activity of the Pc(OH)₈-CoFe LDH is ascribed to the synergistic action between Pc(OH)₈ and CoFe LDH. Experimental results of radical scavenger and fluorescence probe verify that superoxide radical (•O₂^-) plays an important role during the catalytic reaction. Interestingly, the absorption intensity of reaction system has been enhanced largely, due to adding of the reducing substances containing catechol structure. Based on this, the three reducing substances (dopamine, procyanidin B2, catechins) containing catechol structure were distinguished from other reducing substances without catechol structure. Thus, a colorimetric array has been constructed using reaction time as the sensing element to realize the sensitive and selective recognition of catechol structures at a certain concentration.

Emerging Trends in Non-Enzymatic Cholesterol Biosensors: Challenges and Advancements

The development of a highly sensitive and selective non-enzymatic electrochemical biosensor for precise and accurate determination of multiple disease biomarkers has always been challenging and demanding. The synthesis of novel materials has provided opportunities to fabricate dependable biosensors. In this perspective, we have presented and discussed recent challenges and technological advancements in the development of non-enzymatic cholesterol electrochemical biosensors and recent research trends in the utilization of functional nanomaterials. This review gives an insight into the electrochemically active nanomaterials having potential applications in cholesterol biosensing, including metal/metal oxide, mesoporous metal sulfide, conductive polymers, and carbon materials. Moreover, we have discussed the current strategies for the design of electrode material and key challenges for the construction of an efficient cholesterol biosensor. In addition, we have also described the current issues related to sensitivity and selectivity in cholesterol biosensing.

Colorimetric assay based on NiCo2S4@N,S-rGO nanozyme for sensitive detection of H2O2 and glucose in serum and urine samples

Traditional bimetallic sulfide-based nanomaterials often have a small specific surface area (SSA), low dispersion, and poor conductivity, thereby limiting their wide applications in the nanozyme-catalytic field. To address the above issues, we herein integrated NiCo2S4 with N,S-rGO to fabricate a nanocomposite (NiCo2S4@N,S-rGO), which showed a stronger peroxidase-mimetic activity than its pristine components. The SSA (155.8 m2 g-1) of NiCo2S4@N,S-rGO increased by ∼2-fold compared to NiCo2S4 with a pore size of 7-9 nm, thus providing more active sites and charge transfer channels. Based on the Michaelis-Menten equation, the affinity of this nanocomposite increased 40% and 1.1∼10.6-fold compared with NiCo2S4 with N,S-rGO, respectively, highlighting the significant enhancement of the peroxidase-like activity. The enhanced activity of this nanocomposite is derived from the joint participation of ˙OH, ˙O2 -, and photogenerated holes (h+), and was dominated by h+. To sum up, N,S-codoping, rich S-vacancies, and multi-valence states for this nanocomposite facilitate electron transfer and accelerate reaction processes. The nanocomposite-based colorimetric sensor gave low detection limits for H2O2 (12 μM) and glucose (0.3 μM). In comparison with the results detected by a common glucose meter, this sensor provided the relative recoveries across the range of 97.4-101.8%, demonstrating its high accuracy. Moreover, it exhibited excellent selectivity for glucose assay with little interference from common co-existing macromolecules/ions, as well as high reusability (>6 times). Collectively, the newly developed colorimetric sensor yields a promising methodology for practical applications in H2O2 and glucose detection with advantages of highly visual resolution, simple operation, convenient use, and satisfactory sensitivity.

Highly sensitive and low-cost colourimetric detection of glucose and ascorbic acid based on silver nanozyme biosynthesized by Gleditsia australis fruit

In this study, a simple, eco-friendly and low-cost approach was used to fabricate silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from an aqueous extract of Gleditsia australis (GA) fruit. The nanoparticles synthesized in the optimal condition have an average size of 14 nm. The peroxidase-like activity of GA-AgNP in the oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in combination with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was investigated. Further, optimal conditions for the use of peroxidase-like catalytic activity in sensing applications were identified. The colourimetric detection of H₂O₂ showed a linear range of 1-8 mM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.34 mM. The oxidation of TMB (red-TMB) enables the detection of glucose, which is converted into H₂O₂ and gluconic acid in the presence of the enzyme glucose oxidase. The observations showed linearity from 0.05 to 1.5 mM with a LOD of 0.038 mM. Moreover, the blue colour of oxidized TMB (ox-TMB) was reduced according to ascorbic acid (AA) concentration, with a linear range of 0.03-0.14 mM and a LOD of 3.0 μM. The practical use of the sensing system for the detection of AA was studied using real fruit juice and showed good sensitivity. Hence, the easy-to-use peroxidase-like sensor provides a new platform for the detection of bioactive compounds in biological systems.

Montmorillonite clay-based heterogenous catalyst for the synthesis of nitrogen heterocycle organic moieties: a review

The use of montmorillonite clay as solid catalyst has grabbed much attention in the liquid phase reactions for organic synthesis. In recent years, there has been a lot of interest in organic synthesis using montmorillonite-based composites, especially in the synthesis of heterogeneous nanoparticles. Due to the robust and green nature of montmorillonite-based nanocatalysts, it has been widely used in N-heterocyclic reactions. In this review, we have concentrated on the reports pertaining the use of montmorillonite-based nanocatalyst in the synthesis of N-heterocycles, a category of organic compounds with excellent biological properties. This manuscript is arranged by the types of N-containing heterocycles synthesized using montmorillonite-based composite as catalysts including polycyclic spirooxindoles, heterocyclic propargylamine, indole-based heterocycles, quinoline and its derivatives, six-membered N-heterocyclic-based compounds and five-membered N-heterocyclic-based compounds. Special attention was given to the structural stability under experimental parameters of the montmorillonite-based composite with the incidence of metal leaching and reusability. Finally, along with recent developments, new findings in heterogeneous montmorillonite (Mt)-based catalysis have also been addressed.

Ni and Co synergy in bimetallic nanowires for the electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide

The development of a highly sensitive and selective non-enzymatic electrode catalyst for the detection of a target molecule was remained a great challenge. In this regard, bimetallic nanowires (BMNWs) are considered as promising electrode material for their fascinating physical/chemical properties superior to a single system. In this article, nickel cobalt (Ni _x -Co) BMNWs with tunable stoichiometry were prepared by a template assisted electrodeposition method and their catalytic performance was investigated for the detection of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). It has been found that Ni-Co (0.5:1) BMNWs/PC electrode exhibits superior non-enzymatic sensing ability toward H₂O₂ detection with a high selectivity. The electrode shows fast response within ∼3 s and an excellent reproducible sensitivity of 2211.4 μAmM^-1 cm^-2, which is the best compared to the individual Ni, Co, Ni-Co (0.3:1) BMNWs and previously reported electrodes. In addition, the electrode shows a linear response in the wide concentration range from 0.005 mM to 9 mM, low detection limit of 0.5 μM (S/N = 3.2) and a relatively long-term storage (50 d). Moreover, the sensor reveals excellent results for H₂O₂ detection in the real samples. The enhanced sensitivity of the Ni-Co (0.5:1) BMNWs based electrode may be due to the stable structure and synergy of Ni and Co. The results demonstrate that the catalytic activity of the electrode binary catalyst towards H₂O₂ detection can be improved by adjusting the Ni/Co ratio in BMNWs. The excellent performance of the electrode suggests that Ni-Co BMNWs are promising candidate for the construction of cost-effective electrochemical sensors for medical and industrial applications.

PVP-stabilized PtRu nanozymes with peroxidase-like activity and its application for colorimetric and fluorometric glucose detection

Nanozymes have significant advantages over natural enzymes. The intrinsic peroxidase-like activity of Pt-based nanomaterials can be enhanced by alloying with other transition metals, such as Ru, that have great catalytic activity. In this study, we used polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) to synthesize well-dispersed and homogeneous nanostructures. PVP-stabilized Pt-Ru nanozymes (PVP/PtRu NZs) were synthesized and characterized. The PVP/PtRu NZs had an average size of 3.54 ± 0.84 nm and exhibited an intense peroxidase-like activity. The PVP/PtRu NZs were used as peroxidase mimics for colorimetric and fluorometric glucose determination by the glucose oxidase and PVP/PtRu NZs cascade reaction. In the colorimetric assay, the linearly detectable range was 0.25-3.0 mM, with an R² and limit of detection (LOD) of 0.988 and 138 μM, respectively. In the fluorometric assay, a linear relationship was found when the glucose concentration was between 5.0 and 300 μM (R² = 0.997), with an LOD of 1.11 μM. Compared to the colorimetric assay, the fluorometric assay had greater sensitivity and a lower detection limit for the determination of glucose. Moreover, the PVP/PtRu NZs had high storage stability over a month and great recovery values in human serum and artificial urine, with a range of 94-106 %. From these results, PVP/PtRu NZs are expected to be used as promising peroxidase mimics in various fields such as biosensing, pharmaceutical processing, and the food industry.

Colorimetric determination of cysteine based on inhibition of GSH-Au/Pt NCs as peroxidase mimic

In this work, we reported a facile and highly sensitive strategy for colorimetric detection of cysteine (Cys) based on the inhibition of catalytic activity of bimetallic nanoclusters induced by Cys. Glutathione-modified gold-platinum nanoclusters (GSH-Au/Pt NCs) with different Au/Pt molar ratios were prepared via one-pot approach and utilized as peroxidase mimics to catalyze the oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by H₂O₂. It has been found that Cys could inhibit the peroxidase-like activity of GSH-Au/Pt NCs efficiently, which leads to a decrease of the absorption intensity of the system at 652 nm with a fading of the blue color. These findings provide a worthy method for visualization and quantitative detection of Cys with different concentrations in the range from 0.5 to 30 μM, and the detection limit is 0.154 μM. Moreover, this method displays a promising application in colorimetric analysis of Cys in urine samples.

Hg2+ Significantly Enhancing the Peroxidase-Like Activity of H2TCPP/ZnS/CoS Nanoperoxidases by Inducing the Formation of Surface-Cation Defects and Application for the Sensitive and Selective Detection of Hg2+ in the Environment

Exploring excellent peroxidase mimics with enhanced peroxidase-like activity is important to the construction of a fast, low-cost, and convenient colorimetric sensing platform for heavy ions. In this work, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (H₂TCPP) was first used to modify ZnS/CoS and make it show better peroxidase-like activity. The metal-cation vacancies generated by Hg²⁺ contacting H₂TCPP/ZnS/CoS further stimulate the catalytic activity. It is reported that the addition of Hg²⁺ usually causes a decrease of the peroxidase-like activity of metal sulfides. Oppositely, in our work, Hg²⁺ can trigger the colorimetric signal amplification because of lots of metal-cation vacancies generated on the surface of the nanocomposites (bimetallic sulfides). The peroxidase-like activity of ZnS/CoS was evaluated by virtue of the chromogenic substrate 3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) from colorless to blue in 3 min. The enhanced catalytic activity of H₂TCPP/ZnS/CoS was attributed to lots of active sites from the metal-cation defects on the surface of H₂TCPP/ZnS/CoS as well as the synergistic effect of porphyrin molecules and ZnS/CoS. The adsorption behavior of H₂O₂ on the H₂TCPP/ZnS/CoS surface with defects was studied by density functional theory calculation. Thus, a colorimetric sensing platform based on Hg²⁺ trigger signal amplification has been successfully constructed, which can be used to sensitively and selectively determine Hg²⁺ in environmental samples.

N,N-dicarboxymethyl Perylene-diimide modified CeCoO3: Enhanced peroxidase activity, synergetic catalytic mechanism and glutathione colorimetric sensing

N,N-dicarboxymethyl Perylene-diimide (PDI) modified CeCoO₃ nanocomposites were prepared by a two-step method. After modification with PDI molecules, the obtained PDI-CeCoO₃ nanocomposites were demonstrated to possess the heightened peroxidase-like activity, compared with that of pure CeCoO₃ nanoparticles. In the presence of H₂O₂, the heightened peroxidase-like behaviors of PDI-CeCoO₃ were evaluated by the oxidation of the colorless substrate 3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into blue oxTMB, which was detected visually only in 4 min. Importantly, a systematic study of catalytic activity of PDI-CeCoO₃ by different means, including fluorescent probe, electrochemical data, diffuse reflection spectra together with free radical scavenger is executed, verifying that the catalytic activity were from O₂^- and electron holes (h⁺). And, the transfer of photogenerated carriers in the PDI-CeCoO₃ was the Z-scheme heterojuntion mechanism. Furthermore, the peroxidase-like activity of PDI-CeCoO₃ was significantly inhibited by Glutathione (GSH), resulting in fading of blue oxTMB. Based on this, a colorimetric assay for GSH biosensing has been developed. And, the liner range for GSH detection is from 1 to 10 μM with a detection limit of 0.658 μM. The recovery of GSH with different concentrations from 90.0% to 105.9% and the relative standard deviation (RSD) from 1.9% to 5.1%. This colorimetric sensor can be used to detect GSH in real samples.

UV-assisted one-pot synthesis of bimetallic Ag-Pt decorated reduced graphene oxide for colorimetric determination of hydrogen peroxide

Bimetallic Ag-Pt nanoparticles decorated on the surface of reduced graphene oxide (Ag-Pt/rGO) were designed and selected as a nanozyme for the assay of hydrogen peroxide. The nanocomposites were prepared through a one-pot reduction of potassium chloroplatinate, silver nitrate, and graphene oxide under ultraviolet irradiation without using any extra chemical reducing agents or surfactants. The successful formation of Ag-Pt/rGO nanocomposites was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, energy disperse spectroscopy mapping, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Significantly, Ag-Pt/rGO nanocomposites possessed excellent peroxidase-like activity toward the catalytic oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine to form a blue product in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Steady-state kinetics studies suggested that Ag-Pt/rGO nanocomposites had high affinity to hydrogen peroxide. Based on these properties, a convenient and sensitive method for the colorimetric determination of hydrogen peroxide was developed. Under optimal conditions, the absorbance at 652 nm increases linearly in the 10-100 μM and 100 μM-1 mM ranges of hydrogen peroxide concentration, and the detection limit is 0.9 μM (S/N = 3). The method was successfully applied to the determination of hydrogen peroxide in real water samples. Graphical abstract Ag-Pt/rGO nanocomposites were prepared by a one-pot UV irradiation method and used as a novel nanozyme for colorimetric determination of H₂O₂.

Antioxidant Materials Based on 2D Nanostructures: A Review on Recent Progresses

Counteracting reactive oxygen species (ROS, e.g., superoxide radical ion, H2O2 and hydroxyl radical) is an important task in fighting against oxidative stress-related illnesses and in improving product quality in industrial manufacturing processes. This review focuses on the recent advances on two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials of antioxidant activity, which are designed for effective decomposition of ROS and thus, for reduction of oxidative stress. Some materials featured in this paper are of uni- or multi-lamellar structures modified with small molecular or enzymatic antioxidants. Others are enzyme-mimicking synthetic compounds (the so-called nanozymes) prepared without antioxidant additives. However, carbon-based materials will not be included, as they were extensively reviewed in the recent past from similar aspects. Given the landmark development around the 2D materials used in various bio-applications, sheet-like antioxidant compounds are of great interest in the scientific and technological communities. Therefore, the authors hope that this review on the recent progresses will be helpful especially for researchers working on novel developments to substantially reduce oxidative stress either in biological systems or industrial liquors.

Rapid colorimetric sensing of ascorbic acid based on the excellent peroxidase-like activity of Pt deposited on ZnCo2O4 spheres

Pt/ZnCo₂O₄ composites were firstly found to act as artificial peroxidases and used to construct colorimetric sensing platforms for detecting H₂O₂ and ascorbic acid.

Persea americana seed extract mediated gold nanoparticles for mercury(ii)/iron(iii) sensing, 4-nitrophenol reduction, and organic dye degradation

In this work, Persea americana (Avocado) seed extract mediated systematically optimized synthesis has been employed for the formation of small sized gold nanoparticles (Av-AuNPs) at different pH values. The size, shape and crystallinity of the as-prepared AuNPs have been studied using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The nanoparticles were found to be selective towards mercury(ii) upon the prior or subsequent addition of iron(iii), revealing a blue shift and an enhancement of the characteristic surface plasmon resonance (at 519 nm). Similar absorbance based selectivity has been observed towards Fe(iii) in the presence of Hg(ii). The high sensitivity and selectivity of Av-AuNPs towards Hg(ii) and Fe(iii) has been attributed to the formation of core-shell structures. From the UV-visible spectroscopic measurements, the limits of detection for Hg(ii) and Fe(iii) are found to be 50 nM and 30 nM (around one order of magnitude less than the Environment Protection Agency limit of 0.7 μM for Fe(iii) in drinking water) respectively, with an excellent linear dependence over a wide range of concentrations. Additionally, as-prepared Av-AuNPs have been demonstrated to be efficient in the reduction of organic pollutant 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol and degradation of some organic dyes, such as Methylene Blue, Direct blue, Rhodamine 6G, Bromophenol blue and methyl orange. The use of the proposed Av-AuNPs for sensing and green catalysis can form the basis of high-performance analytical assays, effective multiplexed intracellular sensors, and sophisticated and sustainable probes/catalysts.

Porphyrin functionalized Co(OH)2/GO nanocomposites as an excellent peroxidase mimic for colorimetric biosensing

A colorimetric sensor based on the enhanced peroxidase-like activity of Por/Co(OH)₂/GO for the sensitive detection of H₂O₂ and GSH.

Study of the host–guest interaction between N,N′-bis[4-(dimethylaminophenyl)methyl]butane-1,4-diamine and the cucuribit[n]urils (n = 6, 7)

Interaction of the cucuribit[n]urils (n = 6 or 7) and the guest N,N′-bis[4-(dimethylaminophenyl)methyl]butane-1,4-diamine (G) has been studied in aqueous solution by ¹H NMR and electronic absorption spectroscopy and Isothermal Titration Calorimetry.

In situ growth of CuS decorated graphene oxide-multiwalled carbon nanotubes for ultrasensitive H2O2 detection in alkaline solution

A novel hybrid nanomaterial composed of nanoparticles, nanotubes and nanosheets for electrochemical H₂O₂ detection.