Development of multifunctional BP@MoS2 two-dimensional hybrid nanomaterials for label-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy detection and synergistic light-conversion depredation of pathogenic bacteria.

Infectious diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria pose a significant challenge to global public health, underscoring the urgent need for early detection and on-site sterilization technology. In this study, we proposed a multifunctional two-dimensional BP@MoS2 nanocomposites, which not only enabled sensitive bacterial detection but also demonstrated efficient sterilization capabilities. Specially, the unique flower-like surface microstructure of the nanocomposites promoted target enrichment efficiency, while its hybridized band structure facilitated powerful charge transfer, thereby facilitated a label-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based assay of Escherichia coli (E. coli) with a limit of detection (LOD) reaching as low as 1.02 × 104 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL. Furthermore, the modified E. coli could be efficiently degraded by the versatile nanocomposites due to the synergistic action of effective photothermal conversion and photocatalytic effect under near infrared laser, which reached a high sterilization rate of 99.66 % within 8 min. This work offered a promising platform for the direct detection and inactivation of pathogenic bacteria, demonstrating significant potential in the clinical diagnostics and treatment of acute and severe bacterial infections.