Bismuthene nanosheets as a photodynamic and photothermal antibacterial agent under NIR light illumination

Abstract

Bacterial infections remain a significant public health burden due to the emergence of antibiotic resistance and their non-specific cytotoxic effects, leading to the search for novel antibacterial agents. Two-dimensional (2D) pnictogens, which stand out with their advantegeous properties such as large surface areas, compatibility with biological systems, and permeability across biological membranes, have emerged as potential materials in the fight against bacterial infections. By considering all these advantages, here for the first time, the antibacterial activity of 2D bismuth (Bismuthene, Biene) on Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were examined under NIR light illumination. A growth curve analysis was conducted with a concentration of 256 μg*mL−1 of exfoliated Biene nanosheets to assess the inhibition effect and corresponding antibacterial effect (%) against each bacterial strain. The photodynamic theraphy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT)-mediated antibacterial mechanisms were explored by analyzing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via Glutathione (GSH) oxidation assay while a photothermal camera monitored temperature dynamic changes during irradiation. The high specific surface area-dependent membrane damage ability of Biene and morphological changes of the bacteria were visualized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The exciting growth inhibition activity of Biene nanosheets for all bacterial strains was increased during irradiation, and breathtakingly the inhibition rate reached up to ≥ 99.1 % for P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and MRSA. Besides, S. aureus and MRSA are more susceptible to Biene than E. coli and P. aeruginosa.