Copper-based biomimetic nanozymes with multi-enzyme activity for phosphate detection

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Nanozymes, nanoparticles with enzyme-like activity, are valuable in environmental and antibacterial applications.
• Developing nanozymes with multiple catalytic functions is an active area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize novel amorphous nanozyme Cu-Im NPs with diverse enzymatic activities.
• To elucidate the multi-enzyme catalytic mechanisms of the synthesized Cu-Im NPs.
• To develop a sensitive and selective method for phosphate anion detection using Cu-Im NPs.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of amorphous copper-imidazole nanoparticles (Cu-Im NPs).
• Characterization of the enzymatic activities of Cu-Im NPs, including laccase-like, carbonic hydrolase-like, and peroxidase-like activities.
• Investigation of the effect of phosphate on the nanozyme activities.
• Development of a detection method for phosphate anions based on the observed activity modulation.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized amorphous Cu-Im NPs exhibiting laccase-like, carbonic hydrolase-like (with Cu replacing Zn), and peroxidase-like activities.
• Elucidated the multi-enzyme catalytic mechanisms of Cu-Im NPs.
• Demonstrated that phosphate inhibits laccase-like and peroxidase-like activities but activates hydrolase activity.
• Developed a sensitive and selective method for phosphate anion detection.

Conclusions:

• Amorphous Cu-Im NPs possess remarkable multi-enzyme mimicking capabilities.
• Phosphate exhibits differential modulation of Cu-Im NP activities, enabling selective detection.
• The developed method offers a promising approach for sensitive and selective phosphate anion sensing.